India fully free to buy crude oil from any country, Russia reacts on Venezuela oil purchase

Moscow (The Uttam Hindu): Russia has clarified that India is completely free to purchase crude oil from any country and that New Delhi’s efforts to diversify its oil suppliers are neither new nor directed against Moscow. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia has never been India’s only energy partner, and changes in sourcing oil supplies should not be viewed as unusual.

Addressing a press conference, Peskov stated that, like all global energy experts, Russia is fully aware that it is not the sole supplier of oil and petroleum products to India. He noted that India has long been buying energy products from multiple countries, and therefore there is nothing new or unexpected in this approach.

Russia dismisses claims on stopping oil purchases

Peskov’s remarks came after claims by US President Donald Trump that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed, under an India–US trade deal, to stop buying oil from Russia and instead purchase crude from the United States and possibly Venezuela. However, the Kremlin spokesperson made it clear that Russia has received no official communication from India regarding any halt in Russian oil purchases.

He added that he had reiterated the same position a day earlier and stressed that no such signal has been conveyed by New Delhi so far.

Moscow supports India–Russia energy cooperation

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova also defended the India–Russia energy partnership. She said that hydrocarbon trade is beneficial for both countries. During a briefing, Zakharova stated that India’s purchase of Russian hydrocarbons serves the interests of both sides and helps maintain stability in the global energy market.

She further said that Russia remains ready to continue close cooperation with its Indian partners in the energy sector.