India's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami, has firmly pushed back against criticism from Western nations regarding India's ongoing trade and diplomatic relations with Russia. He emphasized that India cannot afford to sacrifice its economic stability for geopolitical disputes that do not directly align with its national interests. Speaking in an interview with Times Radio, Doraiswami highlighted the harsh reality of India's energy dependency, pointing out that the country imports over 80 percent of its total energy requirements. He questioned the practicality of expectations from Western nations, asking rhetorically whether India should simply shut down its economy to satisfy international pressure. This statement was made in response to continued disapproval from the West about India’s continued import of Russian oil amidst the conflict in Ukraine.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many Western nations imposed significant sanctions on Moscow. In turn, Russia began offering discounted crude oil to maintain its economic momentum, a move that proved advantageous to large oil-importing countries like India. Today, Russian oil accounts for approximately 40 to 45 percent of India's crude imports, and recent data shows that these imports reached their highest levels in nearly a year just last month. Meanwhile, the United States has issued warnings to nations continuing to buy oil from Russia, threatening steep tariffs as part of its broader strategy to isolate Moscow and force a resolution to the war in Ukraine.
When asked specifically about India’s continued closeness with Russia, Doraiswami explained that the relationship is founded on several enduring factors. One of the most important aspects is the historical defense partnership between the two countries. He noted that in previous decades, Western countries were unwilling to sell weapons to India, even as they supplied arms to India’s neighboring adversaries. This, he said, forged a deep-rooted bond with Russia in areas such as defense procurement. Doraiswami did not hold back from criticizing what he called the West’s double standards, pointing out that many European nations continue to buy rare earth materials and other forms of energy from countries they simultaneously condemn for doing business with Russia.
His remarks closely reflect the stance of India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, who has also been vocal in defending India's foreign policy decisions. Last year, Jaishankar pointed out the inconsistencies in Europe’s expectations, emphasizing that India would not agree to pay elevated energy prices just to satisfy European preferences. He called out what he saw as Europe's selective moralizing, asking why these nations had not fully ended their own business ties with Russia if they truly believed in the principle of economic isolation. The Indian government has consistently reiterated that its foreign policy is driven by national interest, and in the case of energy security, affordability, and access will always take priority over external pressures.
