'Have I been told by anyone to stop buying Russian oil? The answer is..': Hardeep Singh Puri

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New Delhi: Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said that India will buy oil from wherever it has to while speaking to reporters in Washington. Puri further said that he hasn't been stopped from buying Russian oil by anyone.

As quoted by ANI, Hardeep Singh Puri told reporters said, "...India will buy oil from wherever it has to for the simple reason that this kind of discussion can't be taken to consuming population of India...Have I been told by anyone to stop buying Russian oil? The answer is a categorical 'no'..."

Puri, however, refrained from commenting on the controversial decision of OPEC on cutting oil production by two million barrels a day, which has taken the world by surprise.

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri also said that compared to fuel price hikes globally, India only raised prices by 2 per cent, which is way below that of other countries.

"In terms of petrol and diesel, if the increases in North America are 43-46 per cent, in India we allow prices to go up by only 2 per cent or so. In terms of gas, global benchmarks went up by 260-280 per cent and our own ability to contain gas price increases was something around 70 per cent," Puri told reporters in Washington DC.

Puri on Thursday held bilateral meeting with US energy secretary Jennifer Granholm and other top officials of the Biden Administration. The minister also highlighted India`s commitment to accelerating a just and sustainable energy transition at the ministerial dialogue on India-US strategic clean energy.

(With agency inputs)