Russia has "no reason" to believe that India has changed its position on buyingRussian oil, which it said is beneficial for both countries and maintains stability in the global hydrocarbons market, said the country's foreign ministry. The Russian Foreign Ministry's remarks come amid Washington's claim that New Delhi has agreed to stop importing Russian crude oil. India has not yet confirmed or denied Washington's claim that it has committed to stopping the procurement of Russian crude oil, however, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, at the Munich Security Conference earlier this week, had said that India is wedded to its policy of"strategic autonomy"and the country's energy procurement will be driven by factors like costs, risks and availability.

"We have no reason to believe that India has changed its position on buying Russian hydrocarbons. India’s purchase of Russian hydrocarbons benefits both countries and helps maintain stability in the international energy market," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in her weekly briefing. "There is nothing new in the claims of US President Donald Trump, as well as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who have grabbed the right to dictate to independent nations," Zakharova said.

Earlier too, Russia had accused the US of attempting to prevent India and other countries from buying Russian oil, saying Washington was using a wide range of “coercive” measures, including tariffs, sanctions and direct prohibitions.

Following the announcement of the India-US interim trade deal, under which the tariff on Indian goods have been reduced to 18 per cent from 50 per cent, the US has claimed that India will be reducing the import of Russian oil. Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that India has committed to stopping the purchase of Russian oil. While announcing the trade deal with New Delhi early in February, Trump had also claimed India had agreed to not procure crude oil from Russia.

The reduction included the removal of a 25 per cent tariff that US President Donald Trump had imposed on India in August last year for New Delhi's purchase of Russian oil.

India has not yet confirmed or denied Washington's claim that it has committed to stopping the procurement of Russian crude oil. When asked about India's Russian oil imports at the Munich Security Council, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said that India is very much wedded to its policy of "strategic autonomy" and the country's energy procurement will be driven by factors like costs, risks and availability.

"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. 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," Jaishankar said.

"We would not necessarily agree on everything, but I do believe that by doing that, and if there is an inclination to find common ground and overlaps, that would happen," he said. "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," he said.

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Apoorva Shukla is a journalist at Times Now, where she thrives on dissecting political developments both at home and abroad. A graduate of Delhi Univ...View More

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