At the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Marco Rubio said India had assured United States it would not purchase additional oil from Russia amid fresh sanctions tied to the Ukraine war. According to remarks cited in reports and agency dispatches, Rubio claimed Washington had secured a commitment from New Delhi to stop buying additional Russian crude, though existing orders would not be impacted.
Western Pressure Mounts On Russia
The comments came as Western countries intensify pressure on Moscow’s energy revenues. Responding soon after at the same conference, S. Jaishankar stressed that India remains firmly committed to its doctrine of strategic autonomy. He said India’s energy decisions will be based on cost, risk, and availability, not external political pressure.
India Reasserts Strategic Energy Autonomy
Jaishankar underlined that India retains the right to take independent decisions even if they diverge from Western thinking, noting that global energy markets are complex and commercial considerations guide oil companies’ choices. The comments follow earlier assertions by Donald Trump that India would reduce Russian oil purchases as part of broader trade and strategic understandings — claims that New Delhi has not formally confirmed.
