New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday (August 16, 2022) defended India's decision to buy discounted Russian oil amid Moscow's ongoing war with Ukraine and said that it is his "moral duty" to ensure the best deal for the country. Jaishankar, who is in Bangkok to attend the 9th India-Thailand Joint Commission Meeting, said that the US and other nations in the world may not appreciate India buying Russian oil, but they have accepted it as New Delhi has not been defensive about its stand but made them realise the obligation the government has to its people amidst "unreasonably high" oil and gas prices.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

While addressing the Indian diaspora in Bangkok, Jaishankar said that oil prices are "unreasonably high" and so are the gas prices. A lot of traditional suppliers to Asia are diverting to Europe because Europe is buying less oil from Russia, he said.


"It is a situation today where every country will try to get the best deal possible for its citizens, to try to cushion the impact of these high energy prices. And that is exactly what we are doing," Jaishankar said in response to a question.


ALSO READ | Imran Khan praises India, plays Jaishankar's video at a massive public rally in Lahore


He said India is not doing it in a "defensive way".


"We are being very open and honest about our interests. I have a country that has a per capita income of two thousand dollars. These are not people who can afford higher energy prices," Jaishankar said.



The External Affairs Minister stated that it was his "obligation" and "moral duty" to ensure that the people in India get the best deal.


"I do see that -- not just in the United States but including the US -- that they know what our position is and they move on with that," he said when asked about the impact of buying Russian oil on India's ties with the US.


"Once you lay out very openly and honestly, people accept it," Jaishankar added.


"They may not always appreciate it but once it is there and you are not trying to be too clever about it, you actually have laid out your interest in a very direct manner, my sense is that the world somewhat accepts that as reality," h said.



This, notably, was not the first time that Jaishankar has defended India's interest on a global scale.


Earlier in June, he had responded to unfair criticism against Indian oil purchase from Russia and had stressed that it is important to understand how the Ukraine conflict is impacting the developing countries. He had also questioned why only India was being questioned while Europe continues to import gas from Russia amid the Ukraine war.


Meanwhile, Jaishankar is scheduled to meet his Thai counterpart Don Pramudwinai in Bangkok on Wednesday.


(With agency inputs)