India Not The Biggest Buyer of Russian Oil: Jaishankar In Moscow

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Thursday pushed back against claims that India is the largest purchaser of Russian oil, saying such assertions do not match the facts.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Jaishankar noted that China, not India, is the top buyer of Russian crude. Similarly, he pointed out that the European Union is the leading importer of Russian LNG, while some other countries in the region have seen much sharper growth in trade with Moscow since 2022.

"We are not the biggest purchasers of Russian oil-that is China. We are not the biggest purchasers of LNG-that is the European Union. We are not the country with the largest trade surge with Russia after 2022; there are some others to the South," Jaishankar said, expressing surprise at criticisms directed towards India. He also highlighted that New Delhi has steadily increased its oil imports from the United States as well, in line with Washington's calls to stabilize the global energy market.

His remarks came in the backdrop of the US imposing a 50% tariff on certain Indian exports, citing India's oil trade with Russia.

On the broader India-Russia relationship, Jaishankar reaffirmed New Delhi's commitment to deepening ties. He said both countries aim to expand bilateral trade in a balanced way, addressing regulatory hurdles and boosting India's exports in sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.

He also stressed the importance of sustaining energy cooperation through both trade and investments, while noting that defence and military-technical collaboration remains strong. "Russia continues to support India's 'Make in India' goals, including joint production and technology transfer," he added.

Jaishankar further revealed that he had raised the issue of Indian nationals reportedly serving in the Russian Army. "While many have been released, some cases are still pending, and a few persons are missing. We hope that the Russian side will expedite their resolution," he said.

On regional and global challenges, Jaishankar underlined that India remains committed to dialogue and diplomacy. "We discussed developments in Ukraine, West Asia, the Middle East and Afghanistan. India's approach continues to emphasise dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward," he stated.

Calling the India-Russia partnership "one of the steadiest relationships in the post-World War II era," Jaishankar underlined that New Delhi intends to continue strengthening cooperation with Moscow across multiple fronts.