India on Wednesday indicated that it would continue to import energy and military hardware from Russia for its own “national interests”, notwithstanding the sanctions the United States and other western nations imposed on the former Soviet Union nation in the wake of its military operations in Ukraine.
“At a time when energy costs have spiked, clearly we need to ensure that the common person in India is not subject to an additional and unavoidable burden. Similarly, fertilizer prices have a direct implication for the livelihood of the majority of our population and, indeed, for food prices for all of us,” External Affairs S Jaishankar said in the Lok Sabha.
“Even the security of the nation is at stake, as we maintain our defence posture in the manner that the current security challenges warrant. All these, Speaker Sir, are legitimate pursuits of national interest by India,” he added.
Jaishankar was apparently hinting that India's continuing military stand-off with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh would require it to keep depending on defence equipment imported from Russia.
“They (New Delhi's decisions to buy energy and military hardware from Russia) are similar to what other nations are doing from their particular perspective. Attributing a political colouring to it is uncalled for, it is unfair. I do not even wish to get into which country is doing how much. Eventually, the numbers will speak for themselves,” Jaishankar said, replying to a discussion in the House about the situation in Ukraine after the East European nation was invaded by Russia and its implication for India.
India has already started to buy about 16 million barrels of crude oil from sanction-hit Russia at a discounted price, notwithstanding criticism in the US and the UK.
The External Affairs Minister said that India was “deeply disturbed” over the killing of civilians at Bucha in Ukraine.
“We strongly condemn the killings which have taken place there. This is an extremely serious matter and we support the call for an independent investigation,” he said.
"If India has chosen a side, it is a side of peace and it is for an immediate end to violence. This is our principled stand and it has consistently guided our position in international forums and debates, including in the UN," Jaishankar said.
Watch latest videos by DH here: