India speaks out on U.S. claim on Russian oil purchase

India on Thursday (February 5, 2026) asserted that ensuring the energy security for its 1.4 billion people is the core of its approach on sourcing petroleum products.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal’s comments at a media briefing came in response to Washington’s claim that India has agreed to stop buying Russian oil.

“Insofar as India’s energy sourcing is concerned, the government has stated publicly on several occasions that ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indians is the supreme priority of the government,” Mr. Jaiswal said.

“Diversifying our energy sourcing in keeping with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics is at the core of our strategy to ensure this,” it said.

“All of India’s actions are taken and will be taken with this in mind,” he said.