Lagatar24 Desk
Helsinki: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hit out at the double standards of Western nations over India’s purchase of Russian oil, saying the decision to buy crude from Moscow after 2022 was made at the United States’ own request to stabilise global oil prices, while criticising Washington’s inconsistent approach to sanctions on Russian energy.
India Bought Oil on US Request, Says Jaishankar
Speaking at an event in Finland’s Kultaranta, Jaishankar said the US had specifically asked India to buy Russian oil at the time to keep the oil market stable. Responding to a journalist who accused India of being too sympathetic to Russia, he said India buys oil based on cost and availability, and that circumstances at the time pushed India toward Russian crude since Europe was buying up Middle Eastern oil that had traditionally supplied India.
Criticises US Tariff Flip-Flop
Jaishankar called Russia a reliable partner and criticised the contradictory US policy on Russian oil sanctions. He pointed out that after first imposing tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, the US later lifted its sanctions, and urged against attaching excessive moral weight to the issue, saying there was no great principle involved.
US Tariffs on India Reduced in Stages
The trade relationship between the US and India had strained after the Trump administration imposed 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods, including a 25 percent penalty linked to Russian oil purchases. These tariffs were cut to 18 percent in February following an interim trade framework, and further reduced to 10 percent after a US Supreme Court ruling. Following the outbreak of the Iran war, Washington waived sanctions to allow purchases of Russian seaborne oil to help energy-vulnerable nations affected by Middle East instability.
India to Continue Buying Russian Oil
Petroleum Ministry Joint Secretary Sujata Sharma had earlier stated that India has been purchasing Russian oil before, during, and after US sanction waivers, based purely on commercial viability and energy security needs, irrespective of changing American positions.
Jaishankar Slams Europe’s ‘Moral Ambiguity’
Jaishankar also criticised European nations for their moral ambiguity, pointing out that no European country has ever been attacked with Indian weapons, while Europe has sold weapons that have been used against India for many years.
