News Desk
MUNICH: At the Munich Security Conference on Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserted that India had pledged to halt further imports of Russian oil, a statement that immediately drew attention amid ongoing tensions over energy supplies and sanctions.
Speaking to reporters, Rubio said Washington had secured “the commitment” from New Delhi to refrain from purchasing additional Russian crude, framing the pledge as part of broader international efforts to pressure Moscow following its actions in Ukraine.
“The United States has imposed additional sanctions on Russia’s oil. In our conversations with India, we’ve gotten their commitment to stop buying additional Russian oil. Europe has taken its set of steps moving forward,” he added.
The remarks, however, prompted a swift clarification from Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov highlighted that the claim of India halting Russian oil imports had only been raised by US officials.
“No one besides US officials has spoken about India possibly halting Russian oil imports. The Indian government never made such statements,” Lavrov said, underscoring the gap between Washington’s interpretation and India’s public position.
India, which continues to rely heavily on Russian crude as part of its energy strategy, has until now maintained a careful diplomatic balance between Western sanctions and its longstanding energy partnership with Moscow.
The divergence in statements illustrated the complexity of international energy politics, particularly at a moment when nations are seeking both economic stability and geopolitical leverage.
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