India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has strongly criticized Western countries, saying they have no moral authority to advise or criticize India for buying crude oil from Russia.Speaking at a conference in Finland, Jaishankar responded to questions about India’s continued purchase of Russian oil after the Russia-Ukraine war. He reminded the audience that many European countries have sold weapons to India’s neighboring nations for decades, and those weapons have been used against India.He stated that no European country has ever been attacked with weapons made in India, but European-made weapons have repeatedly been used against India over the years. Therefore, he said Western nations should not question India’s foreign policy decisions.
Jaishankar also explained that after the Ukraine conflict began, many European countries increased their purchases of oil from the Middle East. To meet its growing energy needs and protect its economy from rising fuel prices, India chose to buy discounted crude oil from Russia.The minister further revealed that in 2022, the United States had encouraged India to continue importing Russian oil to help stabilize global energy markets and prevent a sharp increase in international crude oil prices.Defending India’s neutral position in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Jaishankar said the country’s decisions are based on national interests and global energy security rather than political alliances. He added that criticizing India’s balanced approach is unfair.He also responded to criticism of India’s democracy and internal affairs, saying that countries making such comments should first address violence and instability within their own borders before lecturing others.India has consistently maintained that its foreign policy is guided by strategic autonomy, economic priorities, and the welfare of its citizens while continuing diplomatic engagement with all major global powers.
