Why Washington’s Criticism of India Rings Hollow

Have you ever wondered why accusations aimed at India seem to vanish when the U.S. applies the same standards elsewhere? What gives America the moral license to lecture others when it selectively enforces its rules? How can countries like Pakistan, with opaque regimes and deep-rooted economic turmoil, receive massive international loans without global scrutiny — while India faces blame for oil trading choices?

A Tale of Two Economies & Two Yardsticks

In recent years, global scrutiny turned to India when it imported oil from Russia — prompting U.S. officials to claim New Delhi was indirectly funding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, the U.S. and IMF have approved billions of dollars in loans to Pakistan — a nation plagued by economic instability, militant financing, and unregulated military spending. Yet no similar outcry has emerged calling it financial support for terrorism. Can the world interpret the same action in two radically different ways?

India locks horns with Western criticism for buying sanctioned oil. Pakistan, on the other hand, receives loans while hosting terror outfits. Is it not hypocritical to brand India a violator while praising others who provide tacit shelter for extremist funding?

The Dollar Monopoly & Economic Hegemony

The heart of the issue lies in the U.S. dollar system. Since oil became the predominant global trade commodity paid in dollars, the U.S. has wielded unrivaled financial power. Every major oil transaction — from Saudi Arabia to India — mandatorily passes through the U.S. financial system, trapping other nations in a cycle of exchange rate losses and inflated costs. The result? The U.S. accrues enormous “seigniorage profits” while developing nations subsidize U.S. currency demand — all under the guise of global stability .

Breakaway attempts from this system — like Saddam Hussein’s proposed gold-backed Dinar or Libya’s gold-backed petrodollar scheme — were met with military intervention and regime change. Countries exploring non-dollar oil transactions risk destabilization. So why should India, when facing similar sanctions, be viewed as a rogue state, but not those who draw weapons when their profits are threatened?

Pakistan’s Troubled Bailout — and the Missing Moral Equation

In 2024–25 Pakistan secured a $7 billion IMF program and recently drew another $1 billion, plus an additional $1.4 billion under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility. Despite well-documented links between elements of Pakistan’s security establishment, militant groups, and extremist acts — including the 26 Hindu tourists killed in Pahalgam (Kashmir) — this financial lifeline garnered limited global outrage. In contrast, India’s carefully regulated oil imports triggered fierce political criticism. Is this deep economic rerouting inadvertently funding militant operations?

When Omar Abdullah publicly denounced the loan and Asaduddin Owaisi questioned its implications, they were dismissed by many in the West. India demanded greater oversight — but its concern was muted. Why does international accountability vanish when it’s Pakistan’s turn at the podium?

A Hypocrisy Carried on International Platforms

Pakistan’s appointment as Vice-Chair of the UN’s Counter-Terrorism Committee flies in the face of its endemic terror record. The IMF’s ongoing loans, even in the immediate aftermath of terrorism-related events, show an inconsistent approach to conditionality. India’s refusal to link oil prices to U.S. geopolitics — when done transparently and responsibly — is repeatedly framed as ‘support for war’. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s opaque budget allocations continue without meaningful consequences.

Is it a coincidence that when India pays for oil in currencies other than dollars, alarm bells ring — but when Pakistan receives IMF loans despite internal strife, global outrage is absent?

Time for a Consistent Moral Compass

If global leadership is committed to fairness, it must reject double standards. Allegations must follow equally based on actions — not political alliances. All nations should be measured under the same rubric of accountability, transparency, and responsibility. The dollar-based economy should not become a tool for selective punishment or reward.

India has every right to engage in global trade and pursue its economic development. Yet, Western powers repeatedly question its motives while excusing similar behavior elsewhere. This discrepancy undermines their credibility and breeds cynicism.

Questions to Ponder Upon

Why are India’s oil import decisions politicized while Pakistan’s IMF funding is treated as benign?
If a country subsidizes a terror infrastructure and pays for it with borrowed money, should that not raise global alarm?

Can a global order maintain fairness if leadership enforces rules selectively based on strategic alignment?

When accusations are built on double standards, integrity suffers — and trust collapses. It is time to demand the world to treat every nation by the same standard, for truth and justice to hold global primacy.