In a direct challenge to Washington’s influence on New Delhi’s energy policy, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan penned a strongly worded open letter to US President Donald Trump on March 7, 2026. Haasan’s remarks come after the Trump administration granted a “temporary” 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to process Russian oil currently stranded at sea.
Haasan, the founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and a Member of Parliament, asserted India’s sovereignty, telling the US President to “mind your own business to the best of your abilities.”
The Context: Oil, Tariffs, and a Middle East Crisis
The geopolitical friction is rooted in the escalating US-Israel-Iran conflict, which has disrupted global energy supplies and pushed crude prices toward $100 per barrel.
- The Waiver: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the 30-day exemption on March 6, describing it as a “stop-gap measure” to stabilize markets while the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed due to security threats.
- The Pressure: Before this waiver, the Trump administration had imposed 25% punitive tariffs on India to force a halt to Russian crude purchases. While the US claims India committed to stopping these imports, Indian authorities have maintained that energy security remains their top priority.
- The US Stance: Washington has signaled it expects India—an “essential partner”—to replace Russian barrels with American crude once the 30-day window closes.
Kamal Haasan’s Open Letter (Excerpts)
Addressing the President via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Haasan wrote:
“We, the people of India, belong to a free and sovereign nation. We no longer take orders from distant foreign shores… Mutual respect between sovereign nations is the only foundation of lasting global peace.”
Haasan concluded by wishing the American people peace and prosperity but made it clear that India’s policy decisions remain independent of foreign “permission.”