New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar revealed that the United States specifically requested India to purchase Russian oil in 2022 to assist in stabilizing global energy markets. Speaking during a panel discussion at the Kultaranta Talks alongside Finland Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and UAE Assistant Foreign Minister Lana Nusseibeh, Jaishankar asserted that New Delhi’s energy decisions have consistently been guided by cost and market availability rather than ideology or sanctimony. He noted that prior to the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, India had never been a significant buyer of Russian crude oil.
Reflecting on the fluctuating global stance regarding economic sanctions, the External Affairs Minister remarked that changing international positions demonstrate a lack of rigid principles in global energy politics. He pointed out that after initially imposing tariffs on India last year for its purchase of Russian oil, the United States subsequently lifted its sanctions. “Let’s not pretend that there is some great principle involved here. We are all adults in the room. We know what the game is,” Jaishankar remarked, emphasizing that pragmatism governs international trade during geopolitical crises.
The minister explained that severe market distortions in 2022 essentially compelled India to turn to Russian supplies. At the time, European countries were aggressively buying up large quantities of Middle Eastern oil, which had traditionally served as India’s primary source of fuel imports. Left with disrupted supply chains, India secured its energy requirements by sourcing from Russia, which Jaishankar described as a reliable partner that consistently ensured the availability of cargoes at reasonable prices.
Addressing persistent criticism from Western nations regarding India’s ongoing energy ties with Moscow, Jaishankar firmly defended New Delhi’s foreign policy and countered allegations of undermining continental stability. He stated that no European country has ever been attacked with Indian weapons, adding that he wished the same could be said for European-manufactured weapons used against India over the decades. He further noted that it is unrealistic for European nations to expect countries outside their continent to view the Ukraine war with identical urgency, concluding that every global region naturally operates according to its own distinct security and economic priorities.
