No Change in Russian Oil Policy, Says India; Energy Security Remains Top Priority
Amid renewed pressure from the United States to halt crude oil purchases from Russia, India has reiterated that its energy security considerations outweigh all other factors, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.
Addressing a media briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India follows a long-term strategy of diversifying its energy imports to meet the demands of its population of over 1.4 billion people.
“India’s position on energy sourcing has been stated clearly and consistently. Ensuring reliable and affordable energy for our people remains the government’s foremost priority,” Jaiswal said. He added that India’s procurement decisions are guided by market realities and changing global circumstances, and will continue to be made in that framework.
The statement comes against the backdrop of Washington’s call for New Delhi to stop importing Russian oil, with the US alleging that Moscow uses oil revenues to finance its war in Ukraine—an accusation Russia has repeatedly rejected.
India’s response follows claims by the White House that New Delhi had agreed to end direct or indirect imports of Russian crude and shift purchases toward US suppliers. These claims were linked to the US decision to withdraw additional tariffs imposed on India over Russian oil imports.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin maintained that India remains free to source oil from any country of its choosing. Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow recognises that India has multiple suppliers and has never depended exclusively on Russian energy.
“India has always sourced oil and petroleum products from various countries. There is nothing unusual in this,” Peskov said.
Separately, under the framework of an ongoing India–US trade agreement, New Delhi has agreed to eliminate or lower tariffs on a broad range of American industrial and agricultural products. These include dried distillers’ grains, red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, soybean oil, fruits, wine and spirits, among others.
In return, the United States will impose a reciprocal tariff of 18 percent on selected Indian exports under a relevant executive order. The affected sectors include textiles and apparel, leather goods, footwear, plastics, rubber products, organic chemicals, handicrafts, home décor, and certain categories of machinery.
India’s position signals continuity in its foreign and economic policy, balancing strategic partnerships while prioritising domestic energy needs.
