Indian companies to buy oil from Russia and to go with the best deal in the interest of Indian people, said S. Jaishankar External Affairs Minister in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The war in Ukraine which started in February has impacted global food security significantly and led to a sudden increase in crude prices following western sanctions on Moscow.

Earlier in November, during a joint press conference along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow Jaishankar said that India’s relationship with Russia has worked to its advantage and New Delhi would like to keep that going. He reaffirmed strong ties with Moscow, describing the country as a steady and time-tested partner.

In his assessment of global oil prices, Jaishankar has been saying that oil and gas prices are unreasonably high throughout the world. According to him, Europe was buying more oil from the Middle East countries which were Asia’s traditional suppliers, however, now it was diverted to Europe.

Responding to questions from members in the Upper House, the minister said it is his duty to put the interest of the Indian people first to ensure that they do not pay the cost of some other countries’ actions or some other region’s actions for fertiliser, food, etc.

“We do not ask our companies to buy Russian oil. We ask our companies to buy oil what is the best option that they can get. Now it depends on what the market throws up. If tomorrow the market gives us more competitive options. Again, please do understand. It’s not just that we buy oil from one country. We buy oil from multiple sources, but it is a sensible policy to go where we get the best deal in the interest of the Indian people and that is exactly what we are trying to do,” Mr. Jaishankar said.

Delivering his remarks in the Parliament on the ‘Latest Developments in India’s Foreign Policy’, Jaishankar also raised the issue of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and stated that Indian citizens should not pay for some other country’s action. “Indian public should not pay for some other country’s action,” Jaishankar said, asserting India’s position.