At the 62nd Munich Security Conference, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar firmly reaffirmed the country's commitment to strategic autonomy, stating that energy procurement decisions would be guided by costs, risks, and availability rather than external pressures over Russian oil purchases.
Speaking on Saturday during an interactive session alongside German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, Jaishankar addressed a question on whether India would halt buying Russian crude under provisions of a trade deal and if such a move could undermine New Delhi's longstanding policy of strategic autonomy. India has neither confirmed nor denied Washington's claim that it has pledged to stop procuring Russian oil.
"We are very much wedded to strategic autonomy because it is very much a part of our history and our evolution. And it is something which is very deep, it is something which cuts across the political spectrum as well," Jaishankar emphasized, highlighting the policy's deep-rooted nature in India's political fabric.
Jaishankar described the global energy market as "complex," noting that Indian oil companies, much like those in Europe and elsewhere, evaluate factors such as availability, costs, and risks to make decisions in their best interest. "As far as energy issues are concerned, this is a complex market today. I think the oil companies in India, as in Europe, as probably in other parts of the world, look at availability, look at costs, look at risks and take decisions that they feel are in their best interest," he said.
Responding directly to the core of the query, Jaishankar asserted India's independent stance: "If the bottomline of your question is -- would I remain independent-minded and make my decisions and would I make choices which may not agree with your thinking -- yes, it can happen."
The minister's remarks come amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, with reports of a related development where Russia called out the US over claims of India's oil exit, stating that "only Trump said it." Jaishankar's comments underscore India's pragmatic approach to energy security in a volatile international landscape.
The session at the Munich Security Conference provided a platform for high-level discussions on global security and economic interdependencies, where Jaishankar's articulation of strategic autonomy resonated as a key principle guiding India's foreign policy decisions.
