S. Jaishankar Rejects US Claims on Russian Oil Imports

Munich: Amid repeated assertions from the United States regarding India’s purchase of Russian oil, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar firmly rejected claims that New Delhi had agreed to halt additional imports of Russian crude. Reiterating India’s long-standing commitment to “strategic autonomy,” he emphasized that the country’s energy decisions would continue to be guided by availability, cost, and risk considerations.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday (local time), Jaishankar dismissed suggestions that recent India–US trade understandings would dilute India’s independent decision-making framework in foreign and energy policy.

His remarks came in the backdrop of fresh US sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector and statements by US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio had reportedly stated that following a new round of US bans on Russian energy exports, Washington received assurances from New Delhi that it would refrain from purchasing additional Russian oil. According to Russia’s state news agency TASS, Rubio said, “The United States has imposed further sanctions on Russian oil. In our conversations with India, we received a commitment that they would stop buying more Russian oil. Europe has also taken steps to move forward.”

Earlier this month, President Trump had also claimed a breakthrough after months of trade tensions, asserting that India had agreed to stop buying Russian oil and instead increase purchases from the US.

However, Jaishankar made it clear that India’s foreign policy remains anchored in its independent decision-making principles. “We are deeply committed to strategic autonomy because it is an important part of our history and development. It is something very profound and transcends the political spectrum,” he said.

Referring specifically to energy procurement, the minister described the global oil market as “complex.” He noted that Indian oil companies—like their counterparts in Europe and elsewhere—evaluate availability, cost, and risk before making decisions that serve their best interests.

When directly asked whether India would stop buying Russian oil under any trade arrangement, Jaishankar responded unequivocally: “If the essence of your question is whether I will remain independently minded and take my own decisions—and whether I might choose options that do not align with your thinking—the answer is yes, that is possible.”

So far, India has neither officially confirmed nor denied Washington’s claims that it pledged to curb further imports of Russian crude.