Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar pushed back against suggestions that a recent trade deal between India and the US would dilute India’s long-held policy of strategic autonomy.
His comments came as Rubio said Washington had secured a commitment from India to refrain from purchasing additional Russian oil following the latest US sanctions on Moscow’s energy sector. “The United States has imposed additional sanctions on Russian oil. In our talks with India, we received their commitment to stop buying additional Russian oil. Europe has taken its series of steps to move forward,” Russian news agency Tass quoted Rubio as saying at the conference.
Just over a week earlier, Trump had moved on. Announcing a breakthrough after months of trade tensions, he stated: “India agreed to stop buying Russian oil and buy more from the US,” calling it a key outcome of the deal.
JAISHANKAR: ‘WE ARE VERY USED TO STRATEGIC AUTONOMY’
On the podium next to German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, Jaishankar made it clear that India’s foreign policy compass would not shift easily.
“We are very committed to strategic autonomy because it is very much part of our history and our evolution. And it is something that goes very deep, it is also something that cuts across the political spectrum,” he said.
On energy purchasing, he described the global oil market as “complex”. “On the energy issues, this is a complex market today. I think the oil companies in India, as in Europe, and probably in other parts of the world, are looking at availability, looking at costs, looking at risk and making decisions that they think are in their best interests,” he said.
Asked directly whether India would stop buying Russian oil under the terms of the trade deal, Jaishankar replied: “If the gist of your question is – would I remain independent and make my decisions and would I make choices that may not be in line with your thinking – yes, that can happen.”
India has neither confirmed nor denied Washington’s claim that the country has committed to halting additional purchases of Russian crude.
TRADE AGREEMENT AND RATE ROLLBACK
The energy issue has unfolded alongside a recalibration of trade relations. Following a recent phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump, both sides announced a reduction in US tariffs on Indian goods from 50 percent to 18 percent.
The rollback included the removal of a 25 percent tariff that Trump imposed in August last year over India’s continued imports of Russian oil.
During the period of tense trade relations, Trump repeatedly urged India to scale back its Russian oil purchases during the war in Ukraine. At one point, he sharply criticized New Delhi’s position, saying India does not care “how many people are killed in Ukraine by the Russian war machine”.
A major sticking point in the protracted negotiations was India’s purchase of competitively priced Russian crude, which New Delhi justified on the grounds of energy security and economic stability.
RUSSIA REJECTS THE CLAIM OF RELIABILITY
Amid the conflicting stories, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed reports of such assurances. He said no one except US officials had discussed India possibly halting Russian oil imports and that the Indian government had made no such statements.
The differing stories expose the delicate balancing act India faces as it navigates Western sanctions against Russia while maintaining longstanding ties with Moscow.
ENERGY SECURITY AND DIVERSIFICATION
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, India has significantly increased its imports of competitively priced Russian crude oil, which now accounts for almost 35 percent of its total oil needs. The shift accelerated as Western sanctions reshaped global energy flows.
At the same time, India has diversified its basket. US crude accounts for almost 10 percent of total imports, and Indian public sector refiners have signed a one-year deal for US liquefied petroleum gas.
In another move seen as in line with long-standing expectations of the US, Parliament recently passed the SHANTI Bill, 2025, for Sustainable Harness and Promotion of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India, opening up the tightly regulated nuclear power sector to private participation.
CALL FOR UN REFORMS
In Munich, Jaishankar also broadened the conversation to global governance. He called for reforms at the United Nations, arguing that a series of shocks over the past five years, from the Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine to tensions in the Middle East and the rise of China, had exposed the limits of the existing international architecture.
The bigger message from New Delhi was unmistakable. Partnerships may deepen, trade tensions may ease and energy flows may shift, but India plans to finalize its strategic choices.
– Ends
With inputs from PTI
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