India Crude Oil Stance Prioritises National Interest
- India crude oil policy stresses energy security for 140 crore people
- India crude oil imports remain guided by market conditions
India’s crude oil policy will continue to place self interest and energy security at the centre of all decisions, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday. The response came after US President Donald Trump claimed that India had agreed to stop buying Russian oil as part of a broader trade understanding. The government made it clear that India’s choices on crude oil imports are guided by the needs of its people and the changing global energy situation.
Recently, Donald Trump said on social media that India had agreed to halt Russian oil purchases. He made the statement while announcing a reduction in tariffs on India. He also linked the claim to the announcement of a trade deal between the two countries. However, the Indian government responded for the first time by underlining that its priority remains the interests of 140 crore citizens, especially in the context of current international energy developments.
In an official statement, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India’s long stated position. He said the government’s top focus is energy security for 1.4 billion Indians. He added that India follows a strategy of importing energy from multiple countries based on market conditions and global developments. “All the decisions taken by India so far and all the decisions taken in the future will be in this vein,” Randhir Jaiswal said. Therefore, India will continue to keep its crude oil options open.
Meanwhile, Trump also claimed that India was ready to import crude oil from Venezuela and the United States after stopping Russian supplies. Responding to this, Randhir Jaiswal reminded that India has a long standing trade partnership with Venezuela. He said India is willing to buy Venezuelan oil. He also clarified that India will import crude oil from all sources where there is a commercial opportunity. This, he said, is in line with India’s broader energy strategy.
Later, Russia reacted to Trump’s announcement. Russian officials said they had not received any information from India about stopping oil purchases. A Russian government spokesperson said Moscow respects India US diplomatic relations. At the same time, Russia said it would continue to give equal importance to its strategic partnership with India, calling it a first priority. Meanwhile, reports suggest that India and the United States may soon issue a joint statement on the trade deal.
Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates and Follow us on GoogleNews
More Stories…
Sangeetha Rajesh Builds Saree Empire Via Facebook Live
Sangeetha Rajesh sold over 10 lakh sarees through Facebook Live, creating a direct to consumer model linking weavers and buyers.
