US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that India has assured the White House that it would not buy additional Russian oil following fresh US sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector.
“The United States has imposed additional sanctions on Russia’s oil. In our conversations with India, we’ve gotten their commitment to stop buying additional Russian oil,” Rubio said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
His remarks come as the US intensifies measures aimed at curbing Moscow’s energy revenues amid the prolonged conflict in Ukraine.
However, at the same event, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reiterated India’s emphasis on strategic autonomy, responding to questions about whether recent trade developments with the US could influence New Delhi’s crude sourcing decisions.
“We are very much wedded to strategic autonomy because it’s very much a part of our history and our evolution. It’s something which is very deep, and it’s something which cuts across the political spectrum as well,” Jaishankar said.
On energy procurement, he described the global oil market as complex and evolving, adding that purchasing decisions are driven by commercial factors.
“As for energy issues, this is a complex market today. Oil companies in India, as in Europe, as probably in other parts of the world, look at availability, look at costs, look at risks and take the decisions that they feel are in their best interest,” he said.
Jaishankar noted that countries regularly reassess partnerships and calculations in a changing geopolitical environment.
“So many things are changing, and so many of us are doing our calculations and recalculations,” he said, adding that while differences may persist, dialogue remains essential.
“If the bottom line of your question is, would I remain independent-minded and make my decisions? And would I make choices which sometimes may not agree with your thinking or somebody else’s thinking, yes, it can happen,” he added.
