‘Sensible to get best deal in interest of Indian people’ — Jaishankar on Russian oil imports

Responding to questions from Rajya Sabha members, the external affairs minister said it's his duty to ensure Indians don't pay the cost of other countries' actions for food, etc.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar speaks in the Rajya Sabha on the first day of the Winter Session of Parliament in New Delhi, on 7 December 2022 | PTI

New Delhi: The government does not ask Indian companies to buy oil from Russia but it is a sensible policy to get the best deal in the interest of Indian people, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Responding to questions from members in the Upper House, the minister said it is his duty to put the interest of the Indian people first to ensure that they do not pay the cost of some other countries’ actions or some other region’s actions for fertilizer, food, etc.

“We do not ask our companies to buy Russian oil. We ask our companies to buy oil what is the best option that they can get. Now it depends on what the market throws up.

“If tomorrow the market gives us more competitive options. Again, please do understand. It’s not just that we buy oil from one country. We buy oil from multiple sources, but it is a sensible policy to go where we get the best deal in the interest of the Indian people and that is exactly what we are trying to do,” Jaishankar said. –PTI

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