US Asked India To Buy Russian Oil In 2022, Then Imposed Tariffs: EAM Jaishankar
US Asked India To Buy Russian Oil In 2022, Then Imposed Tariffs: EAM Jaishankar Published By, Last Updated: June 12, 2026, 08:30 IST S Jaishankar
US Asked India To Buy Russian Oil In 2022, Then Imposed Tariffs: EAM Jaishankar Published By, Last Updated: June 12, 2026, 08:30 IST S Jaishankar says India began buying cheaper Russian oil in 2022 at US request to stabilise global prices, rejects moralising and calls criticism hypocritical External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attends the Session III: Emerging Powers and the New Geopolitical Competition of the annual Kultaranta Talks at the Finnish President's summer residence, Kultaranta, in Naantali, Finland. (Source: Reuters) Speaking about India’s decision to purchase Russian oil, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that the country started purchasing the oil from 2022 onwards because of its lower prices and availability and added that the decision was taken at the request of the United States to keep the global oil prices low. “At that time, the US specifically asked India to buy Russian oil to stabilise the oil market," said Jaishankar while speaking at an event in Finland. The minister outlined the circumstances that led India to increase its purchases of Russian oil.
After Washington imposed sanctions on Moscow following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, European countries moved away from Russian energy supplies and turned to Middle Eastern oil, India’s traditional source, intensifying competition for those imports. “At that point of time, much of the oil available in the market was from Russia because Europeans were buying up the Middle East oil, which was our traditional supplier. Circumstances pushed us in a certain direction," he said. The remarks were made by Jaishankar when he was questioned about India’s stance on the Russian-Ukrainian war. Speaking at the event, a journalist accused India of being “too sympathetic to Russia" and “too willing to buy oil from Russia". ‘I Buy Oil Based On Cost And Availability’ Replying to the journalist, Jaishankar said, “I buy oil based on cost and availability. So at that point in time, much of the oil available in the market was Russian because Europeans were essentially buying oil from the Middle East, which was our traditional supplier. So circumstances pushed us in a certain direction." ‘Europe Sells Weapons Used To Attack India’ Highlighting Europe’s moral ambiguity, Jaishankar said, “No European country has been attacked with Indian weapons.
I wish I could say that for Europe weapons vis-à-vis India," he said. “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 further elaborated. ‘Let’s Not Pretend This Is About Some Great Principles’ Jaishankar said India’s largest oil supplier is Russia and its largest gas supplier is the US. He termed Russia as as a steady supplier of energy and added that the world is “derisking" from the Gulf and The minister rejected the moralising around Russian oil purchases. “Let’s not pretend that this is about some great principles. I don’t think hypocrisy is appropriate here," he said, as he pointed out how the US asked India to buy Russian energy, then imposed tariffs, & then revoked them. India has maintained that its energy procurement decisions are guided by national interest and energy security, declining to align with Western sanctions on Russia. As several Western countries reduced their purchases of Russian crude following the Ukraine conflict, India significantly increased imports of discounted Russian oil, making it one of the country’s leading sources of crude supplies in the years that followed.
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