Petroleum Ministry responds to The Hindu editorial: Higher Russian oil imports part of deliberate strategy
The Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas stated that increased Russian oil imports are a strategic response to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The government emphasized that diversifying energy sources was necessary to maintain supply security after regional conflicts disrupted traditional trade routes.
Why it matters
This highlights the tension between global diplomatic pressures and the pragmatic energy security needs of developing nations during geopolitical crises.
The Indian government’s decision to import more oil from Russia is part of a longer strategy it deployed following the start of the West Asia crisis and was part of a broader strategy to diversify sources of oil, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural gas has said in response to an editorial by The Hindu on the matter.
The Hindu had on July 9 reported that Russia’s share in India’s oil imports had risen to above 40% in May 2026 in both value as well as volume terms. The editorial, titled ‘Oil conundrum’ was published on July 13.
In its response to The Hindu , the Ministry further said that Russia accounted for “more than half” of India’s oil imports in June 2026.
“The timeline the article omits is the one that matters: Hormuz effectively closed at the end of February 2026,” the Ministry said.
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