New Delhi defends India’s oil imports from Russia; Calls criticism by US and EU as unjustified and unreasonable

The Ministry of External Affairs has said that it is unjustified and unreasonable for India to be targeted by the United States and the European Union for importing oil from Russia after the Ukraine conflict. In a statement, the Ministry asserted that, like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security. The Ministry added that India began importing oil from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the conflict began. It said that the US had actively encouraged such imports by India at that time to strengthen global energy market stability. The Ministry emphasized that India’s imports are intended to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs for Indian consumers and are a necessity compelled by the global market situation. However, it is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves engaged in trade with Russia, and unlike India’s case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion.
 
 
The Ministry noted that the United States continues to import uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its electric vehicle industry, fertilizers, and chemicals from Russia.
 
 
The Ministry also mentioned that the European Union had bilateral trade worth  67.5 billion Euro in goods with Russia in 2024, along with trade in services estimated at 17.2 billion Euro in 2023. This is significantly more than India’s total trade with Russia in that year or subsequently. European imports of LNG in 2024 reached a record 16.5 million tonnes, surpassing the previous record of 15.21 million tonnes in 2022.
 
 
The MEA further noted that Europe-Russia trade includes not just energy but also fertilizers, mining products, chemicals, iron and steel, as well as machinery and transport equipment.