External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India began purchasing large volumes of Russian oil after the outbreak of the Ukraine war in 2022 because it was available and affordable, adding that the United States had "specifically asked" New Delhi to continue buying Russian crude to help stabilize global energy markets.
Speaking at an event in Kultaranta, Finland, on Thursday, Jaishankar defended India's decision to source oil from Russia amid Western sanctions, saying the move was driven by market realities rather than politics.
