ABP | 'There is no dilemma on buying oil from Russia, the government is responsible to the citizens', said Hardeep Singh Puri in a TV interview

Nov 01,2022

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri gave an interview to CNN. During this interview, he spoke to journalist Becky Anderson on India's purchase of oil from Russia. In a question asked about buying oil from Russia, Puri said that India bought only 0.2 percent of Russian oil and not 2 percent.

He said that India buys only a quarter of the oil from Russia in a month as compared to Europe, which is the same as what the whole of Europe buys from Russia till noon.

Iraq is India's biggest supplier
CNN journalist Becky Anderson questioned Puri that India is benefiting from the purchase of concessional Russian oil? Responding to this, Puri said that let me answer your point. When we ended our financial year on March 31, 2022, our oil purchases from Russia were only 0.2 per cent and not 2 per cent.

He said that Russia is not the biggest supplier of oil to India. Last month, Iraq was the biggest supplier of oil to India. 

India is responsible to its citizens,
Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told Anderson that we have no dilemma about why we are buying oil from Russia? We are morally responsible only to the citizens of our country. He said that when we buy fuel for our country, we are not thinking from whom we are buying oil. We do not buy oil from X or Y. We procure fuel from where it is available. 

Hopeful about green energy,
Hardeep Singh Puri said that the Indian government does not buy from any country, it is the oil companies who decide from where the oil will be bought. During this, the minister also made it clear that India is not under any government pressure and is having healthy diplomatic talks with the US. 

Regarding India's backup plan in case of US sanctions tightening, Hardeep Singh Puri said that the Modi government does not accept the pressure of any government. Despite this, we have several backup plans to meet our fuel requirements. He said that India is also very optimistic about green energy in the coming days.