Kumar Bahukhandi
Russian envoy to India Denis Alipov (ANI)
Alipov’s remarks came hours after US President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him that New Delhi will stop procuring Russian crude oil
New Delhi: Russia’s energy ties with India are in tune with New Delhi’s national interests, Russian envoy Denis Alipov said on Thursday, asserting that overall bilateral trade relations are on an upswing. Alipov’s remarks came hours after US President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him that New Delhi will stop procuring Russian crude oil.
“This is a question for the Indian government (to answer),” the envoy told reporters when asked if India will continue to procure Russian crude oil in view of Trump’s remarks.
The Indian government is dealing with the matter having in mind the national interests of this country in the first place, he said.
“Our cooperation in the energy sector is very much in tune of those interests,” he said. I
n response to the US president’s comments, India said it is “broad-basing and diversifying” its sourcing of energy to meet market conditions.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to Trump’s remarks, said it has been New Delhi’s consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario.
He said India’s import policies are guided entirely by national interest, adding India has been looking at expanding energy ties with the US as well.
“Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy,” Jaiswal said.
“This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions,” he added.
India’s continuing purchase of petroleum products from Russia notwithstanding Western sanctions has become a major issue that resulted in severe downturn in ties between New Delhi and Washington.
In Washington, Trump told reporters that “he (Modi) has assured me there will be no oil purchases from Russia.”
The US president said India may not be able to cut the procurement immediately but the process has started.
“It (process) has started. He can’t do it immediately. It’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over soon,” the US president said.
( Source : PTI )
