Moral Duty to Ensure Best Deal for Country: Jaishankar on Criticism Over India Buying Russian Oil
New Delhi: The Foreign Minister of India – S Jaishankar has replied massively to the people and governments – who criticize India for buying Russian oil amid Moscow’s conflict with Ukraine. Minister S Jaishankar said that it is his duty to ensure the best deal for the people of the country that has a per capita income of $2000 and questioned why only India was being questioned while Europe continues to import gas from Russia amid the Ukraine war.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made the remarks in Thailand where he has gone to attend the 9th India-Thailand Joint Commission Meeting.
Addressing the Indian community in Bangkok, Thailand – The Foreign Minister of India over the surge of energy prices across the world due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, said “We have been very open and honest about our interest. I have a country with a per capita income of $2000, these are not people who can afford higher energy prices. It’s my moral duty to ensure the best deal,”
Jaishankar said, “the world has come to terms with India’s position because the country has not been defensive about its decision and made other countries realize the obligation it has to its people instead,”
On the oil purchase of Europe, Jaishankar said, “Europe was buying more oil from the Middle East countries which were Asia’s traditional suppliers, however, now it was diverted to Europe and the US already knows India’s position on Russian oil import and has moved on, adding that in such circumstances “India is open about its interests, wants the best deal.”
While defending India’s oil imports from Russia, Jaishankar stressed that it is important to understand how the Ukraine conflict is impacting the developing countries.
However, Jaishankar has defended India’s interest on a global scale multiple times earlier. At the GLOBSEC 2022 Bratislava Forum held in Slovakia in June this year, he hit back at the unfair criticism against Indian oil purchases from Russia.
(Vinayak)
