“Rahul Gandhi’s Bold Claim: PM Modi Is ‘Frightened’ of Trump – Sparks Political Storm”

On October 16, 2025, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had the tongue-lashing of the day against PM Narendra Modi and accused him of being "afraid of the U.S. President Donald Trump." His declaration ignited an intense political debate at the national level, which involved both the cross-political rivalry and the mixing of foreign policy crises.

Rahul’s Five-Point Attack

One of the most memorable images of the Modi-era that comes to mind, according to Rahul Gandhi, is of India being handed over to America by the Prime Minister without a care for the conduct of our foreign policy and diplomacy. He made a list of situations where he interpreted that Modi had bowed down to the U.S. Such as skipping the important world summits and not making any public comment when Trump talked about the sensitive issues but didn't give any facts.

“PM Modi is scared of Trump. To get the best out of the situation, he uses Trump and acts like he is not there when a firm national stand is needed,” Gandhi said.

The Origin of the Controversy and the Energy Angle

Scandal followed suit after President Trump unveiled that Modi told him India would stop buying oil from Russia, a statement that created a diplomatic ripple. If the promise is true, it could be a landmark policy shift and, therefore, raising fear about India's energy independence.

Anyway, the Indian government is playing the game of silence as it has not given any official statement to either confirm or deny Trump's claim, thus leading to speculation and attacks by the opposition.

Reactions of the Local Crowd and Diplomatic Ripples

The verbal duel which Rahul's attack has started is happening in the middle of an issue that is being highly talked about in the trade relations between India and the U.S. Apart from the incendiary statements of Rahul, the politicians of the Capitol Hill have experienced a chain reaction, with Congress leaders echoing Gandhi's words and BJP members branding it as "political theatrics" and ridicule.

Political analysts view Gandhi's remarks as part of a grand strategy to portray Modi as a figure who is too submissive and lacks independence on the international level of which coming election storyline is likely to lead to the opposition vote's increase.

A Leadership and Independence Hang up

As the debate gets more vehement, the question of India’s foreign policy being the subject of outside influence or the country's own belief pops up more frequently in India's political corridors.

Rahul Gandhi’s incendiary remarks definitely led to a renewed debate on this topic and, therefore, ensured that political warfare will be dominating the headlines in the next few days.