Perfume brand Layer’s latest ad for men’s perfume ‘Shot’ uses gang rape and sexual innuendo to promote their perfume. Netizens were furious upon spotting this ad on TV and called for immediate action against the brand.
Now, Bollywood celebs like Farhan Akhtar, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Richa Chadha, Swara Bhasker and Sona Mohapatra have too expressed their fury.
— (@)
Priyanka Chopra Jonas tweeted: 'Shameful and disgusting. How many levels of clearances did it take for this commercial to be greenlit. How many people thought this was ok? I’m so glad that it was called out and now the ministry has taken it down. Appalling!”
The I&B Ministry on Saturday asked Twitter and YouTube to remove from their social media platforms the videos of advertisement of a perfume brand that triggered outrage for "promoting sexual violence against women"
— (@)
In letters to Twitter and YouTube, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that the videos were "detrimental to the portrayal of women in the interest of decency and morality" and in violation of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code)
The videos of the perfume brand sparked outrage among a large section of social media users, who claimed the advertisement sought to promote sexual violence against women
"It has come to the notice of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting that an inappropriate and derogatory advertisement of a deodorant is circulating on social media. The Ministry has asked Twitter and YouTube to immediately pull down all instances of this advertisement," an official spokesperson said
The ministry, in the letters to Twitter and YouTube, said that the Advertisement Standards Council of India (ASCI) too has found the videos in violation of its guidelines and asked the advertiser to suspend the advertisement on an immediate basis.
FILE PHOTO: US president Donald Trump (R) and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi arrive for a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
INDIA said on Thursday (16) that its energy policies will continue to prioritise the interests of its citizens, following US president Donald Trump’s claim that prime minister Narendra Modi had assured him India would stop buying Russian oil.
“It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective,” he said.
The comments came hours after Trump told reporters in Washington that Modi had promised to end Russian oil imports as part of US efforts to cut off Moscow’s energy revenues.
“I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia,” Trump said at a White House event, adding that the next step would be to convince China to follow suit.
New Delhi has neither confirmed nor denied Trump’s remarks. In fact, the Indian foreign ministry later said it was “not aware of any telephone conversation” between the two leaders on Wednesday (15).
India, one of the world’s biggest importers of crude oil, depends on overseas suppliers for more than 85 per cent of its energy needs. While it traditionally relied on Middle Eastern producers, the country shifted towards Russian crude in 2022 after Western sanctions on Moscow created a market for discounted oil. Russia has since become India’s largest oil supplier, accounting for about one-third of total imports.
According to trade data, India imported 1.62 million barrels of oil per day from Russia in September. Imports are expected to rise further in October as Russia increases exports following damage to some of its refineries by Ukrainian drone attacks.
Despite US concerns, India has long defended its purchase of Russian oil, describing it as vital to maintaining affordable energy prices for its population.
“Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy,” Jaiswal said. “This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions.”
However, three sources familiar with refinery operations told Reuters that some Indian refiners are preparing to gradually reduce Russian oil imports from December, as existing orders for November have already been placed. The refiners have not been formally instructed by the government to do so, but they are reportedly exploring alternative crude sources.
Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) confirmed it was looking for discounted alternatives while hoping to maintain access to Russian supplies. “We are exploring all options to ensure cost-effective sourcing,” an MRPL official said.
Trump has in recent months intensified pressure on India over its ties with Moscow. In August, he raised tariffs on Indian exports to 50 per cent, accusing New Delhi of indirectly funding Russia’s war in Ukraine. US negotiators have linked a possible reduction in tariffs to India’s willingness to curb its Russian oil purchases.
At the same time, both sides have discussed expanding energy cooperation. “The current US administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing,” Jaiswal said.
Russia, meanwhile, remains confident that its partnership with India will continue. Deputy prime minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday that Russian energy remained “in demand, economically advantageous, and practical.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that depriving countries of the right to choose their suppliers would violate the principles of free trade.
Analysts say India is likely to proceed cautiously, balancing Washington’s pressure with its own energy security and economic interests. With global oil prices recently hitting a five-month low, the immediate financial impact of any shift could be limited.
However, a full halt to Russian oil purchases, if it happens, would mark one of the biggest shifts in global energy flows since the start of the Ukraine war.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.