Only India Will Decide Its Future’: Farooq Abdullah On US Waiver For Russian Oil

Speaking to reporters here, Abdullah said New Delhi, as India being a sovereign nation, should independently determine its course of action without seeking approval from external capitals.

“We are a sovereign country. We don’t need anyone’s dictation or permission,” he remarked while responding to the United States’ decision to grant India a 30‑day waiver for importing Russian oil, a move framed by Washington as necessary to stabilise global supplies amid tensions in West Asia.

To reinforce his point, the former Chief Minister recalled an episode from the tenure of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He said that during the UPA era, when the United States attempted to influence India’s voting position in connection with the civil nuclear agreement, Singh had firmly maintained that India would act solely in accordance with its national interest. “You know what Manmohan Singh said? It is the decision of India. India will make its own decision. What is good for India, we will do that,” Abdullah recounted.

Expressing concern about the broader diplomatic implications, Abdullah questioned why India should appear dependent on external validation for its foreign policy choices. “The tragedy is, I don’t know why they are making us dependent. It is a question of the independence of this country. This country has to decide what is good for it. Nobody else should decide our future,” he said.

His comments come days after US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen described the waiver as an effort to maintain global oil stability without providing significant economic benefit to Russia.

Reiterating his stance, Abdullah said India must safeguard its autonomy in decision‑making and ensure that its policies reflect its own strategic priorities. He emphasised that the country’s future should be shaped by its own judgment rather than external pressure.