Kamal Ghorui
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday said crude oil supplies from Russia to India have increased despite Western sanctions and mounting geopolitical pressure, ANI reported.Speaking on the sidelines of the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, Lavrov said the rise in Russian oil exports to India was reflected in publicly available data.“We published this data in the global media… This information shows that oil supplies to India increased, and it does not depend on us, but on our Indian counterparts…,” Lavrov said during a media briefing, news agency ANI quoted.India has continued importing discounted Russian crude since the imposition of Western sanctions on Moscow, maintaining that its energy procurement decisions are guided by national interest and the need to secure affordable supplies for the domestic economy.Russia has emerged as one of India’s largest crude oil suppliers in recent years as trade flows shifted following the Ukraine conflict and sanctions imposed by Western nations.Lavrov also criticised the United States over its global energy strategy, alleging that Washington was attempting to dominate global energy supply chains while targeting major Russian energy firms.He claimed the US was trying to squeeze Russian companies such as Lukoil and Rosneft out of global markets.“The United States has adopted doctrinal documents proclaiming that it must dominate global energy markets,” Lavrov said, according to remarks also cited by Al Jazeera.Lavrov is attending the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting being held in New Delhi from May 14-15 alongside foreign ministers from member nations, including Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.The meeting comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions in Middle East and continued disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy transit route.India has so far maintained a calibrated diplomatic position amid evolving tensions involving Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Russia and the United States, while continuing to prioritise energy security and strategic autonomy.
