External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday defended India's continued purchase of Russian oil, pushing back against European criticism. Speaking at an event in New Delhi, he argued that European nations have sold weapons that were used against India for years, yet now question New Delhi's energy policy.
Jaishankar's remarks come amid ongoing Western pressure on India to reduce its reliance on Russian energy following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. India has maintained that it must prioritize its own energy security and that European countries themselves continue to buy Russian gas.
The minister did not specify which European countries or weapons he was referring to. However, India has historically imported defense equipment from nations including France, the UK, and Israel, some of which have been used in conflicts with Pakistan.
India's crude oil imports from Russia have surged since 2022, making Russia one of its top suppliers. New Delhi argues that such purchases are necessary to meet domestic demand and that Europe's criticism is hypocritical given its own energy imports from Russia.
