Mumbai, March 7 -- Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde slammed Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the United States allowed a waiver for India to purchase Russian oil amid the escalating West Asia conflict.

He rebutted the Congress leader's statement, which described Indian foreign policy as "exploitation of a compromised individual" and that New Delhi's foreign policy should be rooted in the nation's history and ethos.

Shinde asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is steering the country toward becoming a global "economic superpower".

"PM Narendra Modi is taking our country forward... The country is moving towards becoming an economic superpower. ...