Arya News - While announcing the India-US trade deal, US President Trump had claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil.
NEW DELHI – As suspense over India’s Russian oil purchase persists, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has also stayed away from the yes or now answer as he stresses that India’s energy sourcing decisions are guided by national interest, with an emphasis on diversification and competitive pricing.
When asked about the White House claim that India has agreed to stop purchasing Russian Federation oil, Misri said that as a developing economy and significant net importer, India must prioritise stable and affordable energy supplies.
He stated that the governemnt foremost priority is to protect Indian consumers. The Foreign Secretary further explained that the government seeks to ensure that “consumers receive adequate energy at the right price and through reliable and secure supplies.”
Highlighting the global uncertainties, he said, “India is not just one of the largest consumers of energy, but it also plays an important role as a stabilising factor in global energy markets.”
The Foreign Secretary added, “The key drivers of our energy policy are adequate availability, fair pricing, and reliability of supply.”
Earlier, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had also addressed the issue, saying that “diversifying our energy sourcing in keeping with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics is at the core of our strategy to ensure this.”
“Insofar as India’s energy sourcing is concerned, the government has stated publicly on several occasions that ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indians is the supreme priority of the government,” the MEA said.
The statement, however, stopped short of ruling out the purchase of Russian oil. “All of India’s actions are taken and will be taken with this in mind,” it added.
While announcing the India-US trade deal, Trump had claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil.
Subsequently, the White House also stated that New Delhi has committed to stopping the import of Russian oil and buying energy products from the United States.