Jaishankar earns Moscow's praise for shutting up West over Russian oil
After the Ukraine war broke out in 2022, most Western countries sanctioned Moscow and stopped buying Russian crude oil; India refused to follow suit
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has praised his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar for telling the West to mind its business when New Delhi’s purchase of oil from Moscow after the Ukraine war came under attack.
“This is national dignity,” Lavrov told a World Youth Forum in Sochi, explaining the criticism of India which was responded to by Jaishankar, who the Russian minister described as “my friend”.
Russia’s praise
In a video shared by Russian news agency Sputnik, Lavrov is seen saying: "My friend, Foreign Minister Jaishankar, was once at the UN, giving a speech. He was asked why they started buying so much oil from Russia. He advised them to mind their own business and reminded them at the same time how much oil the West had started buying and continued to buy oil from the Russian Federation." “This is national dignity," he added.
Soaring imports
After the Ukraine war broke out in 2022, most Western countries sanctioned Moscow and stopped buying Russian crude oil and turned to the Middle East. India refused to follow suit.
Amid the global sanctions, India capitalised on discounted Russian oil prices. Its imports from Russia ballooned from zero in January 2022 to 1.27 million barrels a day by January 2023.
In 2023, India's oil imports from Russia more than doubled to 1.79 million barrels a day even as imports from traditional suppliers like Iraq saw a contraction.
Defending India
Jaishankar told global forums that India cannot afford high energy prices which Europe was paying and that that the Modi government was only trying to get the best deal possible for its citizens.
More recently, in Munich, Jaishankar again defended India's decision.
"Why should it be a problem? I am smart enough to have multiple options. You should be admiring me and not criticising. Is it a problem for others? I do not think so," he said.
Putin’s praise for India
In January this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin also praised India “and its leadership because it is assured that New Delhi won't play 'games' against them on the international stage".
Lavrov also highlighted the historical partnership between India and Russia, particularly Moscow’s support for New Delhi during the Cold War period when the West withheld advanced weaponry.
“In those years, when the West did not even think of transferring modern weapons to India, the Soviet Union, and later Russia, not only did so, but also set up joint production of high-tech missiles (including) BrahMos. That is why we remember (our) friendship, we never forget ourselves and we see that the Indian people have the same qualities,” he said.
