Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Russian Envoy Defends India’s Oil Purchases Amid Western Sanctions Pressure
India buys oil from Russia because it needs fuel for its people and economy.
Russia’s ambassador said India is not buying the oil to help Russia pay for the war in Ukraine.
He said Russia is ready to sell India as much oil as it needs.
Western countries are putting pressure on countries and companies that buy Russian oil.
The ambassador called those actions unfair pressure tactics.
India says its energy decisions are based on its own national interests.
India’s foreign minister said the Russia-Ukraine conflict should be solved through talks and diplomacy.
He argued that stopping countries from buying oil will not end the conflict.
Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov said India buys Russian crude for its own energy needs and national development, not to fund Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Alipov said Russia was prepared to supply India with as much oil as it required.
He described secondary sanctions and tariffs targeting Russian oil trade as punitive Western pressure tactics.
India says its oil purchases are guided by national interest, energy security, affordability and the needs of its 1.4 billion people.
Indian refiners reportedly purchased about 60 million barrels of Russian oil for April 2026 delivery.
- Who
- Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov, Indian officials, and Western coalitions imposing sanctions and tariffs.
- What
- A dispute over India’s continued purchases of Russian crude oil amid Western sanctions pressure.
- When
- The remarks were reported between September 4 and September 6, 2026.
- Where
- The statements were made or reported in India, including New Delhi, through DD News and ANI.
- Why
- India says it needs affordable energy to support national development, energy security and the requirements of its 1.4 billion people.
India and Russia’s Position
Western Sanctions Position
Reason for India’s oil purchases
India and Russia’s Position
India and Russia say the purchases serve India’s energy requirements, affordability, national development and energy security rather than helping fund Russia’s war.
Western Sanctions Position
Western pressure focuses on countries and companies continuing to deal with major Russian energy suppliers, using sanctions, tariffs and possible secondary sanctions.
Effect of excluding Russian oil
India and Russia’s Position
Alipov said Russian crude remains important to global energy markets and that the world could not easily cope with its exclusion.
Western Sanctions Position
The sanctions approach seeks to pressure or restrict trade with Russian oil suppliers, although the article does not provide a detailed Western response to Alipov’s claim.
How the conflict should end
India and Russia’s Position
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the Russia-Ukraine conflict should be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation.
Western Sanctions Position
The article describes Western pressure over oil purchases but does not state a separate Western position on the preferred method for ending the conflict.
- Russian position
- Denis Alipov said India buys Russian oil for itself and its national development, not to help Moscow fund the Ukraine war.
- Supply commitment
- Alipov said Russia was ready to supply as much oil as India required.
- India’s stated policy
- India says national interest, energy security, affordability and population needs guide its crude purchases.
- Population cited
- Indian officials referred to the energy requirements of 1.4 billion people.
- Reported April purchases
- Indian refiners purchased approximately 60 million barrels of Russian oil for April 2026 delivery.
- Conflict-resolution position
- S. Jaishankar said the Russia-Ukraine conflict should be addressed through dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation.
- Russian crude’s global role
- Alipov argued that global energy markets could not easily cope with the exclusion of Russian oil.