Why should India need another country’s approval to secure its energy needs, asks T.N. CM Stalin

In the wake of reports that the United States has “allowed” India to import Russian oil for a period of 30 days to help mitigate the spike in the price of oil, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday (March 6, 2026) asked why India should need an another country’s approval to meet its own energy needs.

“When the United States decides to allow India to purchase Russian oil for just 30 days, it raises a fundamental question: why should India need another country’s approval to secure its own energy needs,” Mr. Stalin asked in a social media post.

Referring to the sinking of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena by the U.S., soon after it participated in the International Fleet Review 2026 naval exercise hosted by India in Visakhapatnam, Mr. Stalin said this incident was “equally troubling.” “When a ship that came to India as part of a multinational exercise meets such a fate, India cannot appear silent or passive,” he added.

Mr. Stalin alleged that the BJP government at the Centre looked “totally compromised on India’s long-standing tradition of strategic autonomy and an independent foreign policy.” India’s dignity in the international arena needed to be protected and the nation’s sovereignty and interests needed to be defended, Mr. Stalin said.