New Delhi, July 17 – India has firmly responded to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s warning of potential secondary sanctions on countries continuing energy trade with Russia, asserting its sovereign right to secure energy needs and cautioning the West against “double standards.”
Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reaffirmed that India’s top priority remains the uninterrupted supply of energy to meet the demands of its population.
“We have seen the reports and are closely monitoring the situation. Let me reiterate that securing the energy needs of our people is an overriding priority for us. In this effort, we are guided by market availability and prevailing global conditions,” Jaiswal stated.
He further emphasized that India “would particularly caution against any double standards” in addressing global trade and energy security.
Rutte, during his visit to Washington on Wednesday, suggested that countries maintaining economic ties with Russia—specifically India, China, and Brazil—could face significant repercussions if they fail to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin toward peace negotiations over the Ukraine conflict.
“My encouragement to these three countries, particularly, is: if you live now in Beijing, or in Delhi, or you are the president of Brazil, you might want to take a look into this, because this might hit you very hard,” Rutte told reporters, as quoted by Reuters.
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also weighed in, noting that India has significantly diversified its sources of energy imports and is prepared to adapt to any future disruptions.
“India has expanded its oil supply sources from 27 countries to nearly 40. If something happens, we’ll deal with it,” Puri said at a separate event in New Delhi.
Rutte’s comments come amid heightened tensions in global trade, particularly over energy ties with Russia. Just weeks ago, concerns arose in India over a proposed U.S. bill that could impose steep 500 per cent tariffs on countries engaging in commerce with Russia. More recently, former U.S. President Donald Trump also threatened up to 100 per cent secondary tariffs unless a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is reached within 50 days.
India, which has maintained a balanced diplomatic position throughout the Ukraine conflict, continues to advocate for dialogue and diplomacy, while defending its right to make independent decisions based on national interest.