New Delhi, Oct 16 (UNI) Defending its energy policy amid US pressure to curb Russian oil imports, India reasserted that national interest and consumer protection drive its sourcing decisions.
This comes in response to recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, who claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him of halting oil purchases from Russia.
Responding to concerns raised by the United States, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the current US administration has expressed interest in deepening energy cooperation and that discussions on the matter are ongoing.
Jaiswal emphasized that India’s energy sourcing decisions are firmly guided by national interests and the imperative to protect Indian consumers.
“India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective,” Jaiswal said.
“Ensuring stable energy prices and securing supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy. This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as needed to meet changing market conditions,” he added.
Addressing concerns raised by the United States, Jaiswal stated that India has been working for several years to expand its energy procurement, which has progressed steadily over the past decade.
“The current US administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions in this regard are ongoing,” he said.
President Trump recently claimed that India had agreed to curb its imports of Russian seaborne crude, following Washington’s imposition of 25 per cent punitive tariffs on New Delhi for continuing such purchases.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar, during a visit to Moscow on August 21, 2025, defended India’s energy policy, stating: “The United States asked India to do everything to stabilise the global energy market, including buying oil from Russia.” He underscored that India’s decisions are based on its energy security needs and economic priorities, especially in the wake of the penalty tariffs imposed by President Trump.
