Helsinki: European countries sell weapons that are used against India, but New Delhi has never done anything to endanger Europe’s security, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said.
His sharp remarks came in response to a question on India allegedly adopting a “morally ambiguous” position on the Russia-Ukraine war during an interactive session held in Finland on Thursday.
Speaking at the Kultaranta Talks, the minister also said the US had “specifically” asked India to buy Russian oil to stabilise the global energy market after the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.
At the Kultaranta Talks in Finland, Jaishankar revealed that in 2022 the US had “specifically” asked India to buy Russian oil to stabilise global markets disrupted by the Ukraine war and Western sanctions on Moscow. He said much of the available oil at the time was Russian because Europeans were buying up Middle Eastern supplies, India’s traditional source. This, he argued, compelled India to enter the Russian market, with purchases based solely on cost and availability.
Jaishankar criticised what he called the “on-off” nature of US sanctions on Russian oil, noting that Washington initially imposed tariffs on India for such purchases, then later lifted them when it suited its interests. He argued that this shifting stance showed there was “no great principle” involved, urging against moral posturing. The remarks referenced recent US tariff changes and broader inconsistencies in Western policy towards Russian energy trade.
esponding to European criticism of India’s Russia ties, Jaishankar pointed out that European countries have for decades sold weapons used against India, often referencing Pakistan. He stressed that no European nation has been attacked with Indian weapons and that India has never endangered Europe’s security. This, he suggested, exposed selective moral standards in international relations.
Jaishankar’s remarks highlight India’s intent to maintain strategic autonomy in energy and security policy despite Western pressure. By linking US requests, European arms sales, and market realities, he framed India’s choices as pragmatic responses to global disruptions. The comments come amid renewed US pressure to curb Russian oil imports and ongoing debates over equitable burdens in enforcing sanctions.
