Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 01:22pm on 12 Jun 2026,Friday India Global
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar forcefully defended New Delhi’s Russian oil purchases during the Kultaranta Talks in Finland, rejecting Western criticism over India’s energy ties with Moscow. Responding to questions on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Jaishankar said India buys oil based on affordability and availability, noting that European demand for Middle Eastern crude after 2022 pushed India toward Russian supplies. He also revealed that the United States had encouraged India to continue buying Russian oil to help stabilise global energy markets. Criticising Europe’s position, Jaishankar argued that European-made weapons had been used against India for decades, while India had never supplied arms threatening European security or interests.
