NEW DELHI – India on Tuesday appealed to Russia to embrace a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine, even as it defended its continued purchases of the Russian oil that is crucial to the Kremlin’s financing of the invasion.
At a meeting in Moscow with his Russian counterpart, India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said that the global economy was “simply too interdependent” for a conflict not to have “major consequences” in other parts of the world.
“This is not an era of war,” Mr Jaishankar said, echoing the words of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russian President Vladimir Putin in September. “India, therefore, strongly advocates a return to dialogue and diplomacy.”
Still, India has steadily increased its imports of Russian oil since Moscow’s invasion in February, despite Western efforts to curb the Kremlin’s ability to pay for the war. The Indian government has defended the purchases, saying that they are in its national interest.
Mr Jaishankar said that India would not change tack, even as the United States and its allies push for a price cap on Russian oil.
“It is our fundamental obligation to ensure that the Indian consumer has the best possible access on the most advantageous terms to international markets,” he said. “So, if it works to my advantage, I would like to keep that going.”
By continuing to do business with Russia, India has emerged as an important behind-the-scenes player in diplomatic initiatives during the war. In July, it helped broker a deal with Russia to free up millions of pounds of desperately needed Ukrainian grain. Two months later, India asked Moscow to back off as Russian forces continued to shell the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
Although Indian officials have expressed an ambition that New Delhi could ultimately play a mediating role if Russia and Ukraine reenter peace negotiations, Mr Jaishankar did not clarify what that might entail.
“India will be as helpful as we can be,” he said. “We are clearly on the side of peace, respect for international law and support for the U.N. charter.” NYTIMES
