India wedded to strategic autonomy, says Jaishankar amid US claims on Russian oil cut

NEw new delhi : republic of india continues to follow up on a insurance policy of strategical autonomy and the country’s decisions on energy purchases will be made after considering availability, cost and risks, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday against the backdrop of Washington’s assertions that New Delhi has committed to reduce Russian oil imports.Jaishankar, who was participating in a discussion with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul at the Munich Security Conference, said that countries across the world are recalculating their policies amid unprecedented changes on the international stage and looking for common ground to strengthen each other.Responding to a question on whether India having to wean itself of Russian oil under a trade deal with the US had impacted the country’s strategic autonomy, Jaishankar said New Delhi still exercises strategic autonomy which is “very deep and…cuts across the political spectrum”.“We are very much wedded to strategic autonomy because it’s very much a part of our history and our evolution,” he said.“Where the energy issues are concerned, this is today a complex market, oil companies in India — as in Europe, as probably in other parts of the world — look at availability, cost and risks and take the decisions that they feel is in their best interests.”India has neither confirmed nor denied the Trump administration’s repeated assertions that it has committed to ending Russian oil purchases as part of a trade deal with the US, which has seen President Donald Trump slash tariffs on Indian exports from 50% to 18%.This has included the removal of a 25% punitive levy imposed on India last year over Russian oil purchases.Jaishankar said India retained the option of making independent decisions without always agreeing with partners in the West.“If the bottomline of your question is – would I remain independent-minded and make my decisions and would I make choices which may not agree with your thinking…yes, it can happen,” he said.He also said the position taken by the US administration pointed to both change and “a degree of continuity and reassurance”, and this reflects the transformations underway in Washington’s approach to issues, situations and organisations.These developments also underlined the need to reform the United Nations, especially after the world had experienced a series of shocks over the past five years, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ukraine conflict, the tensions in the Middle East, and the rise of China and its impact on global systems, the minister said.At a time when the world is heading toward greater multipolarity and more centres of decision-making, it is important for India to revitalise its relations with Europe, Jaishankar said.Wadephul said the uncertainties on the international stage have pushed Europe, including Germany, to look for new global partners with shared values and interests. “India is one of the most important partners for Germany,” he said.The two sides are working together to reform the UN and also cooperating in trade, defence, resilience to climate change, and defending democracy and international rules-based standards, he said.Jaishankar also participated in a roundtable on India’s foreign policy and highlighted the “importance of a nimble and dynamic” policy to meet the demands of multipolarity. In this context, he noted the significance of the India-European Union (EU) FTA and the India-US trade deal.During another engagement with the foreign ministers of the G7 member states, Jaishankar reiterated India’s support for the reform of the United Nations Security Council and emphasised the need to safeguard sea lines of communication, acting as a first responder, strengthening port security, and contributing to resilient submarine cable infrastructure.