External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has firmly stated that India’s decision to purchase Russian oil from 2022 onwards was not only based on cost and availability but was also taken at the request of the United States to stabilise global oil prices, per a report by News18.

Speaking at an event in Finland, Jaishankar explained that Washington had specifically asked India to buy Russian oil at that time to help keep the global market steady.

He emphasised that India’s choices were shaped by circumstances, particularly after European countries shifted away from Russian energy supplies following sanctions imposed on Moscow, which in turn intensified competition for Middle Eastern oil—India’s traditional source.

EAM Jaishankar highlighted that much of the oil available in the market during that period was Russian, as Europe was absorbing Middle Eastern supplies. He noted that India was effectively pushed in a certain direction by these dynamics.

His remarks came during a panel discussion at the Kultaranta Talks alongside Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and UAE Assistant Foreign Minister Lana Nusseibeh, where he was questioned about India’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.

When accused of being overly sympathetic to Russia, Jaishankar responded that his decisions were guided by cost and availability, reiterating that circumstances dictated India’s procurement strategy.

The minister also drew attention to Europe’s moral ambiguity, pointing out that European countries have sold weapons that have been used against India for many years. He contrasted this with India’s record, stressing that no European country has ever been attacked with Indian weapons.

He argued that this was a reasonable point to highlight when Europe questions India’s choices, underlining that India has never endangered Europe in any way.

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar further rejected the moralising around Russian oil purchases, describing such criticism as hypocritical. He reminded the audience that the United States had initially asked India to buy Russian oil, later imposed tariffs on Indian products for doing so, and eventually revoked those tariffs.

He insisted that this sequence of actions demonstrated the inconsistency of Western positions. He added that India’s largest oil supplier today is Russia, while its largest gas supplier is the United States, and noted that the world is increasingly “de-risking” from the Gulf region.

India has consistently maintained that its energy procurement decisions are guided by national interest and energy security, rather than external pressures. Despite Western sanctions on Russia, New Delhi has significantly increased imports of discounted Russian crude, making it one of the leading sources of India’s oil supplies in recent years. Jaishankar’s remarks reinforce India’s pragmatic approach, rejecting moral lectures from abroad and focusing instead on securing reliable and affordable energy for its economy.

Agencies