NEW DELHI: Ministry of exterior affairs (MEA) on Thursday stated India’s vitality safety remained the federal government’s prime precedence, responding to claims by US President Donald Trump that India could cease shopping for Russian oil and as a substitute supply crude from nations akin to america and Venezuela.MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated India’s selections on oil imports are guided by nationwide curiosity and evolving world situations.
“The federal government has acknowledged publicly on a number of events that guaranteeing the vitality safety of 1.4 billion Indians is the supreme precedence of our authorities. Diversifying our vitality sourcing consistent with goal market situations and evolving worldwide dynamics is on the core of our technique to make sure this. All of India’s selections had been taken and will likely be taken with this in thoughts,” he stated.His remarks got here after Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to halt Russian oil purchases as a part of a broader commerce understanding, and that India might enhance imports from the US and presumably Venezuela. Nevertheless, India has not publicly confirmed any such dedication. Jaiswal additionally addressed questions on Venezuela, describing it as a long-standing vitality associate for India, whereas noting that sanctions have affected imports.“So far as Venezuela is worried, it has been a long-standing associate for India. We had been importing crude oil till 2019, after which purchases stopped resulting from sanctions. Imports resumed briefly between 2023 and 2024, however needed to be halted once more due to sanctions,” he stated.He added that Indian public sector firms have present ties in Venezuela’s vitality sector and that India stays open to future choices.“Indian PSUs have established partnerships with worldwide oil firms working in Venezuela. According to our method to vitality safety, India stays open to exploring the industrial deserves of any crude provide choices, together with these from Venezuela.”‘Nothing uncommon in Indian place’: RussiaRussia on Wednesday stated India was free to purchase crude oil from any provider and that its efforts to diversify vitality imports weren’t new. “We, together with all different worldwide vitality specialists, are nicely conscious that Russia isn’t the one provider of oil and petroleum merchandise to India. India has at all times bought these merchandise from different nations. Due to this fact, we see nothing new right here,” Peskov stated.Peskov added that Russia had not obtained any official communication from India on stopping imports of Russian oil.Russian international ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova additionally defended the vitality commerce between the 2 nations, describing it as mutually useful.‘Evolving inner dynamics’: Piyush GoyalMinistry of exterior affairs (MEA) on Thursday stated India’s vitality safety remained the federal government’s prime precedence, responding to claims by US President Donald Trump.On alternative of oil suppliers, the minister stated: “Diversifying our vitality sourcing consistent with goal market situations and evolving worldwide dynamics is on the core of our technique to make sure this. All of India’s actions are taken with this in thoughts.”
 on Thursday said India’s energy security remained the government’s top priority, responding to claims by.){kind=link}