India wedded to strategic autonomy: Jaishankar on US-Russia oil claims

Munich: Amid repeated assertions from the United States regarding New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil, India, reaffirming its “strategic autonomy”, has conveyed a clear message on the global stage that its energy decisions will be determined by availability, cost, and risk considerations.

The remarks come against the backdrop of fresh US sanctions targeting Russia’s oil sector and claims by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio that India has agreed to halt additional imports of Russian crude.

Addressing the Munich Security Conference on Saturday (local time), External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar rejected suggestions that a recent India-US trade understanding would undermine India’s long-standing commitment to strategic autonomy.

His comments followed Rubio’s statement that Washington had received assurances from New Delhi that it would refrain from purchasing more Russian oil after the latest round of US sanctions on Moscow’s energy exports.

“The United States has imposed additional sanctions on Russia’s oil. In our conversations with India, we’ve gotten their commitment to stop buying additional Russian oil. Europe has taken its set of steps moving forward,” Rubio was quoted as saying during the conference, by Russian news agency TASS. (IANS)

Also Read: EAM Jaishankar meets BRICS 2026 sherpas and country representatives