MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st April, 2022) India is faced with what appears to be a "campaign" against it for its purchase of oil from Russia, even though European countries themselves have increased Russian fuel procurement, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Thursday.
"You know, that it is interesting, because we have seen for some time what looks almost like a campaign on this issue. I was just reading a report today that in a month of March Europe has bought, I think, 15% more oil and gas from Russia than it did the month before. If you look at the major buyers of oil and gas from Russia, I think you will find most of them are in Europe," Jaishankar told the inaugural India-UK Strategic Futures Forum.
The minister noted that it is only natural for countries to seek "good deals for their people" when prices on the market increase.
"But I am pretty sure if we wait two or three months and actually look at who are the big buyers of Russian gas and oil, I suspect the list will not be very different from what it used to be and I suspect we will not be in the top 10 of that list," Jaishankar said.
Last week, Indian Petroleum Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told the country's upper house that the government was in discussion with Russia on crude oil purchases and that he himself had a conversation with the "appropriate levels of the Russian Federation."
According to reports, Russia has offered India discounted oil if it buys in rupees or rubles.
