- Jaishankar defended India’s policy on Russian oil imports.
- He criticized Europe for supplying weapons used against India.
- Jaishankar revealed US encouraged India to buy Russian oil.
- India’s oil purchases are based on cost and availability.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday strongly defended India’s policy on Russian oil imports, pushing back against criticism from Europe and arguing that several European countries had long supplied weapons that were later used against India.
Speaking at the Kultaranta Talks in Finland during a session on “Emerging Powers and the New Geopolitical Competition”, Jaishankar rejected suggestions that India had been overly sympathetic towards Russia or excessively dependent on Russian energy since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict.
The minister also made a notable disclosure, saying the United States had encouraged India to continue purchasing Russian crude oil in 2022 to help stabilise global energy markets after sanctions were imposed on Moscow.
Jaishankar Responds to European Criticism
During the discussion, Jaishankar was asked about India’s relationship with Russia and its continued purchases of Russian oil despite Western sanctions.
In response, he questioned Europe’s position on security issues affecting India and highlighted what he described as a longstanding imbalance in the criticism directed at New Delhi.
“No European country has been attacked with Indian weapons. I wish I could say that for Europe weapons vis-a-vis India,” Jaishankar said, drawing attention to India’s concerns regarding arms exports from European nations.
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‘Europe Sells Weapons Used Against India’
Asked to elaborate on his remarks, the external affairs minister pointed to Europe’s history of supplying military equipment that India believes has been used against it.
“Europe sells weapons, which are used to attack India. Not just now but for many years. We Indians have never done anything to endanger Europe. I think that’s a reasonable point,” he said.
The comments reflected India’s broader position that its security concerns should be given equal consideration in global geopolitical debates and that criticism of its foreign policy choices often overlooks regional realities.
India’s Oil Purchases Driven by Economics
Defending India’s continued imports of Russian crude, Jaishankar said the country’s decisions were guided by economic necessities rather than geopolitical alignments.
He noted that global energy markets underwent significant changes following the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, making Russian oil one of the most accessible and cost-effective options available to many buyers.
According to Jaishankar, India has consistently based its energy purchases on factors such as affordability and availability rather than political considerations.
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US Encouraged Russian Oil Purchases, Says Minister
The minister also revealed that Washington had itself encouraged India to keep buying Russian oil during the early stages of the sanctions regime against Moscow.
“At that time, the US directly asked India to buy Russian oil to stabilise the oil market. We buy oil based on cost and availability,” Jaishankar said.
His remarks underscored India’s long-held argument that its energy security decisions are shaped by national interests and market conditions, even as Western nations continue to scrutinise New Delhi’s ties with Russia.
