New Delhi: US treasury secretary Scott Bessent, in his latest announcement on global oil stability amid the ongoing West Asia turmoil, has signalled further thaw that would enable adequate crude in the market from various sources, including Russia, and help smoothen rough edges in Indo-US ties.
In his latest tweet on Sunday morning without naming Russia and other crude sources, Bessent said, “The US is the biggest and most powerful economy in the world. Under @POTUS’ leadership we are working with the world’s largest producers, consumers, and refiners to maintain stability in the world’s energy markets while we eliminate threats to our safety and security. This is a shared purpose towards which we are all working, and we thank our international partners sharing this same goal.”
The message was subtle but the intent could not be missed. Last week, Bessent’s comments on allowing India to purchase Russian oil had raised a political storm here. On Friday, Bessent said India is a “very good actor” on Russian oil sanctions, while signalling it could ease restrictions on additional Russian crude to stabilise global energy markets.
The tone and tenor of Bessent’s message drew sharp reaction from the Opposition here. Subsequently, an Indian official said, India has never depended on permission from any country to buy Russian oil. This statement came in response to the 30-day window the US opened on Friday for Indian refiners to import floating Russian volumes.
