New Delhi : US Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday urged India to reconsider its purchase of Russian oil, saying New Delhi has plenty of alternative sources. We don’t want to punish India. You can buy oil from every nation on the earth, just not Russian oil. That’s our position. America has oil to sell, so does everybody else, Wright said in response to a question during a press conference at the New York Foreign Press Centre.
There are lots of oil exporters in the world. India doesn’t need to buy Russian oil. India buys Russian oil because it is cheaper. Nobody wants to buy Russian oil; they have to sell it at a discount,” he added. He said India is a “star” in sustainable energy initiatives, but it chose to make the trade-off to buy cheaper oil and look the other way, putting more money in Vladimir Putin’s hands.
Wright’s remarks come amid US tariffs on Indian imports of Russian oil, which now total 50 per cent, following allegations that discounted Russian oil sales help fund Moscow’s military campaign. India, meanwhile, has maintained that its energy strategy is guided by national interest and market dynamics, turning to discounted Russian oil after Western sanctions restricted supply.
The White House official said he believes India shares the US goal of ending the war and stressed that Washington sees New Delhi as an awesome ally and key partner in global energy trade. Wright highlighted that the US is eager to expand energy cooperation with India across multiple sectors, including natural gas, coal, nuclear, and clean cooking fuels. I’m a huge fan of India. We love India. We look forward to more energy trade, more interactions back and forth with India, he said.
Read Also : Indian-Origin Stabs California Sex Offender to Death in Calculated Attack
-
-
-
-
