India will continue to source energy from a broad mix of suppliers and diversify imports as needed to keep supplies reliable and prices affordable, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday, as questions grow over New Delhi’s purchases of Russian crude.
Speaking at a media briefing in New Delhi, Misri said India’s priority is ensuring “adequate energy at the right price through reliable and secure supplies,” adding that national interest and objective market conditions guide procurement decisions.
The remarks came after US President Donald Trump said last week that India had “committed to stop directly or indirectly” importing Russian oil, a claim New Delhi has not publicly endorsed.
India Russian oil and the diversification message
Misri said India does not rely on a single source for crude imports and does not intend to, describing India’s approach as maintaining a “mix of sources” that shifts with market conditions. He said consumer interests—availability, pricing and dependability—remain central to decisions taken by the government and domestic energy companies.
Data in India’s Economic Survey has also pointed to a reduction in Russian oil purchases, echoing comments by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that Indian refiners’ buying from Russia has fallen sharply in recent months.
US tariff rollback and trade talks with New Delhi
The debate over Russian crude has unfolded alongside fast-moving trade diplomacy between India and the United States. Trump recently issued an executive order lifting a 25% punitive tariff on Indian imports that had been linked to India’s continued buying of Russian oil, according to the White House order and a separate report by Reuters.
Misri’s comments did not announce a specific change in purchasing policy, but reinforced that India’s sourcing decisions are guided by energy security and market realities rather than a single external demand.
Moscow reaction and shifting import patterns
Russia has publicly played down the significance of India’s diversification messaging, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying it saw “nothing new” in India’s approach because New Delhi has historically bought oil from multiple countries.
Recent trading activity has also highlighted India’s search for alternative barrels, including purchases of Venezuelan crude by state refiners, reflecting a wider effort to widen supply options as sanctions and trade negotiations reshape the market.