The United States Energy Secretary Chris Wright has voiced strong support for deepening Washington’s energy ties with India, calling himself a “huge fan” of the country. Speaking at the New York Foreign Press Centre, he highlighted the U.S. government’s intent to expand cooperation with India in multiple sectors, spanning natural gas, coal, nuclear energy, liquefied petroleum gas, and clean cooking fuels.

Wright acknowledged India’s strategic importance in the global energy landscape and underlined that Washington seeks “more trade and more interactions” with New Delhi. He stressed that energy partnerships between the two countries are not merely commercial but have significant geopolitical weight, given India’s rising energy demand and its role as one of the world’s largest importers of hydrocarbons.

The U.S. official also touched upon the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, noting the complexities India faces. He acknowledged that India has been “caught in the middle” of the global realignment of energy flows that followed sanctions on Russian oil. Much of Russia’s discounted crude, Wright said, has been redirected to China, India, and Turkiye, indirectly funding Moscow’s war effort. This has created friction in U.S.-India relations, though Wright emphasised that Washington does not seek confrontation on this issue.

Despite this divergence, Wright clarified that the United States wishes to strengthen cooperation and not punish India. He indicated that while New Delhi favors discounted Russian oil, Washington believes India has alternatives available elsewhere. “There are plenty of oil exporters in the world,” Wright said, suggesting that India could source petroleum from the U.S. and other suppliers instead of Russia. He also reiterated that America itself is ready to step in as a reliable provider of oil and other energy commodities.

Responding specifically to the question of energy trade between India and Russia, Wright observed that Russia has to sell oil at a discount because global buyers are reluctant to engage with it.

He added that India has made an economic choice to buy cheaper oil, despite the moral and strategic concerns tied to financing Russia’s war. In sharp language, he remarked that such purchases indirectly funnel resources to a regime “murdering thousands of people every week.”

At the same time, Wright sought to reassure that Washington’s approach is cooperative rather than punitive. He underlined that ending the war is a shared goal and urged India to reconsider its position on Russian imports. His message aligned with the U.S. administration’s broader effort to isolate Moscow economically while keeping vital partners like India engaged through avenues such as energy collaboration.

The Secretary’s remarks highlight both opportunities and points of contention in Indo-U.S. energy ties. While Washington sees India as a critical market for American energy exports and as an ally in promoting cleaner technologies, India’s pragmatic choices in its oil purchases indicate the competing pressures of affordability, geopolitical balancing, and energy security.

Wright’s outreach signals that, despite differences, the U.S. prefers to expand strategic energy cooperation with New Delhi rather than allow friction over Russian oil imports to define the relationship.

Based On ANI Report