Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, during his official visit to Kyiv, firmly stated that curtailing India's purchase of Russian oil would not stop the ongoing war in Ukraine, NDTV reported.

He pushed back against the Western position that cutting Moscow's economic lifeline would force it to abandon the conflict. Addressing the media, he stressed that the war, now in its fifth year, could only be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy, and negotiation.

He remarked that the conflict would not be solved because someone is buying or not buying oil, alumina, minerals, metals, or fertiliser. Instead, he emphasised that resolution lies in diplomatic engagement.

These comments followed his meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, where both sides exchanged perspectives on the matter.

EAM Jaishankar highlighted the immense challenge of ensuring energy security for India's 1.4 billion people. He noted that the global energy situation remains extremely difficult and insisted that while Ukraine's perspective must be respected, India's position should equally be acknowledged. He underlined that providing energy to such a vast population requires pragmatic decisions that cannot be dictated by external pressures.

His remarks came in response to a question about whether New Delhi would reduce its purchases of Russian oil if the United States approved legislation imposing sanctions or tariffs on nations continuing to buy Moscow's energy. Western nations, including the US and UK, argue that choking Moscow's energy trade would starve its economy and weaken its ability to finance the war in Ukraine.

Last month, the US Senate passed a bipartisan bill authorising President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods from countries such as India and China that continue importing Russian oil and gas. The legislation claims that such trade supports Moscow's economy and helps finance its military operations in Ukraine.

Despite months of American pressure, Russia has remained the largest supplier of India's crude. Imports, however, fell sharply in August after reaching record levels in June and July. Before Russia launched the war in 2022, its share in India's crude imports was negligible, at just 0.2 per cent. Following the invasion, when Western countries shunned Moscow, India became the largest buyer of discounted Russian crude.

India, the world's third-largest oil importer, sources about 88 per cent of its crude from overseas, which is refined into fuels like petrol and diesel. One-third of this comes from Russia. In August, India imported about 2.1 million barrels of crude per day from Russia, accounting for more than 40 per cent of its total imports.

This was down from 2.6 million barrels per day in June and July, according to maritime intelligence firm Kpler. Converted into Indian terms, this equates to approximately ₹1,050 crores worth of crude daily in August, compared to nearly ₹1,300 crores daily in the preceding months.

India's appetite for discounted crude has become increasingly vital for Russian exporters. With Europe imposing sanctions after the Ukraine war, Russia has had to rely heavily on Asian buyers such as India and China.

For Moscow, steady demand from Indian refiners has ensured high export volumes despite restrictions on Western shipping, insurance, and financial services. This reliance underscores the strategic importance of India's energy trade for Russia's economic resilience.

Jaishankar's comments in Kyiv reinforced India's consistent position that energy procurement decisions are guided by national interest and the welfare of its citizens.

He made it clear that buying or not buying oil would not determine the outcome of the war, which requires political solutions rather than economic coercion.

His stance reflects India's balancing act between safeguarding its energy security and navigating mounting Western pressure.

Agencies