External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar hit back at European criticism of India's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying Europe sells weapons that are used against India, while New Delhi has never done anything to endanger the continent. Speaking at the Kultaranta Talks in Finland on Thursday, Jaishankar defended India's purchase of Russian crude oil after the outbreak of the Ukraine war and rejected suggestions that New Delhi has adopted a "morally ambiguous" position on the conflict.
"No European country has been attacked with Indian weapons. I wish I could say that for European weapons vis-à-vis India. So keep that in mind," Jaishankar said when asked about criticism in Europe over India's ties with Russia and continued imports of Russian oil.
"Europeans sell weapons that are used to attack India. Not now. For many, many years," he said in an apparent reference to the long-standing supply of arms and military equipment by several European countries to Pakistan.
"We Indians have never done anything to endanger Europe," Jaishankar added.
The minister said India's energy purchases were guided by economic considerations and the realities of the global market.
India buys oil based on cost and availability, he asserted.
When the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in 2022, "at that point of time, much of the oil available in the market was Russian because Europeans were essentially buying up the Middle East oil, which was our traditional supply. So circumstances pushed us in a certain direction," Jaishankar said.
India has consistently called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine conflict while maintaining close relations with both Russia and Ukraine. The war triggered major disruptions in global energy markets, prompting India to significantly increase imports of discounted Russian crude. India has consistently maintained that the country's energy security needs and the welfare of its population require access to affordable oil supplies.
Jaishankar has frequently pushed back against Western criticism of India's Russia policy, arguing that Europe continued extensive trade with Russia in the initial stages of the conflict and that developing countries cannot be expected to bear a disproportionate economic burden.
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