MEA responds to Trump's claim about India cutting Russian oil
What's the story
India has responded to United States President Donald Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him India would stop buying Russian oil. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasized that India's import policies are focused on protecting the interests of Indian consumers in a volatile energy market. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective."
Energy strategy
MEA says India has been expanding energy procurement from US
"Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy. This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions," the statement added. "Where the US is concerned, we have for many years sought to expand our energy procurement. This has steadily progressed in the last decade. The current Administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing," Jaiswal said.
Trump's statement
Trump aims for China after India
Speaking at the White House earlier, Trump said he was not happy with India's purchase of Russian crude, which he believes funds President Vladimir Putin's war efforts in Ukraine. But "he (PM Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That's a big step," he said. He also said that he plans to persuade China to do the same, adding that pressuring Beijing would be "relatively easy compared to what we did...in the Middle East."
Opposition response
Opposition slams government over Trump's statement
Right after Trump's big claim, the opposition criticized the government. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, said PM Modi is "frightened of Trump." Listing five reasons, he alleged that the prime minister allowed the US President to "decide and announce that India will not buy Russian oil." The Congress leader also accused PM Modi of sending congratulatory messages despite repeated snubs from the US.
Moscow
Moscow responds to Trump's remarks
Russia has also responded to Trump's remarks, with Ambassador to India Denis Alipov saying that "it has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario." "We proceed from the understanding of Indian government policy... it reflects the national interest of the Indian people and national economy, and those goals will not contradict Russia-India relations. We will continue discussing cooperation with India regarding oil and gas," Alipov said in a statement.