The central government has bly rejected attempts by the United States and NATO countries to pressure India regarding oil purchases from Russia. Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri spoke openly on this issue and made it clear that India will do what is right in the interest of its consumers. He also gave a blunt response to the US's threat of potential secondary sanctions.
'I don't take pressure, my boss's mind is not built for pressure'
Hardeep Puri said in an interview that he does not work under any kind of pressure and that his boss, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, does not have a mind that is built for pressure. Furthermore, he said that this is where he gets his strength. He said that India's energy policy has always been based on the needs of consumers and that pressure from any external force does not work in this regard.
India's stance on oil purchases from Russia
Puri explained that before the Russia-Ukraine war started in 2022, India used to buy only 0.2 percent of its total oil needs from Russia, but today this share has increased significantly. He also said that earlier India used to buy oil from 27 countries and now this number has increased to 40. This means that India has made its supply more diverse and secure.
India gives a befitting reply to NATO Chief's threat
Recently, NATO chief Mark Rutte said that if India continues to buy oil from Russia, 100 percent secondary sanctions can be imposed on it. In response, Hardeep Puri bluntly said that India is not going to come under anyone's pressure regarding its energy policy. He also reminded that Prime Minister Modi's priority has always been the needs of the country's consumers.
Ministry of External Affairs also presented the government's stand
Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, Randhir Jaiswal, has also clarified that the country's priority is to meet the energy needs of its citizens. He said that India takes decisions keeping in mind the resources available in the market and global conditions. This policy of India is not dependent on any kind of pressure.
America's tariff threats and potential impact
America believes that Russia is funding the Ukraine war by selling oil to India, China, and Brazil. For this reason, America wants India to stop buying oil from Russia. In this effort, US senators have talked about bringing a new bill in which there is talk of imposing tariffs of up to 500 percent on countries buying oil from Russia.
If this happens, America's imports from India will be greatly affected. India exports a large share of medicines, engineering products, textiles, machinery and services to America. Increasing tariffs will make these products expensive, which may reduce their demand in America.
India's clear stance on Iranian oil
When asked about the purchase of Iranian oil, Puri said that Iranian oil has not disappeared from the market. But if there is any international ban on it and India recognizes it, then India will abide by that law. This means that India determines its policies while respecting international rules.
India's energy needs and role in the global energy market
Hardeep Puri also said that India is the third largest energy consumer country in the world. He said that 16 percent of the increase in the world's energy market in the last ten years has come from India alone. At the same time, according to international agencies, 20 percent of the increase in the global energy market in the coming twenty years will come from India itself.
This data makes it clear that India's needs cannot be ignored and India's important role remains in the global energy discussion.
India's independent foreign and energy policy
Puri reiterated that India's energy policy has always been independent and that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the country does not bow down to any pressure. He said that India will stick to whatever decision it takes in the interest of its needs and its consumers.
This stand of the Government of India makes it clear that the country determines its own policy on an important issue like energy and is not going to bow down to any global power. This is making India's position on the global stage even ber.
