Rubin Says US Should “Shut Up” on India Buying Russian Oil to Secure Energy
Michael Rubin calls us “hypocritical” over India’s Russian oil purchases and stresses the country’s energy and security needs.
Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin has accused the United States of “hypocrisy” in criticising India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil, pointing out that Washington itself imports Russian goods when no viable alternatives exist. In an interview with ANI, Rubin argued that lecturing New Delhi while failing to offer cheaper, sufficient fuel supplies is counterproductive and ignores India’s energy realities as the world’s most populous nation.
“The US is being hypocritical because we purchase from Russia... If we do not want India to purchase Russian fuel, what are we going to do to provide fuel to India at a cheaper price and in the quantities India needs? If we don’t have an answer for that, our best approach is simply to shut up,” Rubin said bluntly, stressing that Indians elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prioritise national interests, including energy security.
Rubin also linked President Vladimir Putin’s high-profile visit to India—where New Delhi bestowed rare honours on the Russian leader—to “Donald Trump’s gross incompetence,” sarcastically suggesting Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for inadvertently pushing India and Russia closer. He noted that Moscow views the trip as “extremely positive”, while Trump’s camp spins it as validation of their warnings about India-Russia ties.
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The remarks come amid sustained US pressure on allies and partners to reduce Russian energy imports following the Ukraine invasion, even as India has emerged as one of Moscow’s largest oil buyers, helping keep global prices stable. Rubin’s criticism highlights a growing view among some American strategic analysts that moral posturing without practical alternatives risks alienating key Indo-Pacific partners like India.
As India balances ties with both Washington and Moscow, Rubin’s comments underscore the pragmatic limits of sanctions diplomacy when vital national interests—especially affordable energy for 1.4 billion people—are at stake.
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