'What would you have us do?': India on Russian oil
India's High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, is pushing back against Western criticism over India buying Russian oil.
In a recent chat with Times Radio, he asked, "What would you have us do? Switch off our economy?"—making it clear that keeping the lights on is a top priority for India.
India's energy needs and European countries' similar sources
India gets over 80% of its energy from imports and is the world's third-biggest energy consumer.
After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and Western sanctions hit, India started buying more discounted Russian oil to keep costs down.
Doraiswami also pointed out that many European countries rely on similar sources for their own energy needs.
Why should India face litmus test of loyalty?: Doraiswami
Doraiswami highlighted India's long-standing ties with Russia for both security and energy, while noting that some Western countries sell weapons to neighbors who aren't always friendly to India.
He questioned why India should face a "litmus test of loyalty" when global politics are so complicated.