Jaishankar Defends India's Russian Oil Purchases, Says No European Nation Attacked With Indian Weapons
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar defended India's purchase of Russian oil during a discussion at the Kultaranta Talks in Finland, telling European counterparts that India's energy decisions are guided by cost and availability, and pointed out that no European country has ever been attacked using Indian weapons, unlike weapons sourced from Europe that have been used against India.
Quick Facts
- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made the remarks at the Kultaranta Talks in Naantali, Finland, on June 11, 2026.
- The discussion was titled "Emerging Powers and the New Geopolitical Competition."
- Jaishankar was joined on the panel by Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and UAE Assistant Foreign Minister Lana Nusseibeh.
- The remarks came in response to a question on whether India had shown "moral equivalence" between Russia and Ukraine and was "too sympathetic" to Russia.
What Happened?
During the panel discussion, Jaishankar was asked to explain how India would justify its position to a European audience that perceived India as drawing a moral equivalence between Russia and Ukraine, and as being too willing to buy oil from Russia. Jaishankar responded that India buys oil based on cost and availability, and that at the relevant point in time, much of the oil available on the market was Russian because Europeans were buying up Middle East oil, which had traditionally supplied India. He said circumstances had pushed India in a certain direction.
On the question of "moral ambiguity," Jaishankar said that no European country has been attacked with Indian weapons, while he could not say the same about European weapons being used against India. When asked to elaborate, he said that Europeans have sold weapons that have been used to attack India for many years, while India has never done anything to endanger Europe, calling this "a reasonable point."
Key Facts
- Jaishankar arrived in Finland from Bulgaria as part of a two-nation tour before participating in the Kultaranta Talks.
- On energy security, he reiterated that India's energy choices are guided by national interest, affordability and availability.
- Jaishankar also addressed India's engagement with West Asia, describing the Gulf region as central to India's foreign policy due to people-to-people ties, energy cooperation and defence partnership.
- In a separate engagement during the same visit, Jaishankar met Finnish President Alexander Stubb and discussed the evolving geopolitical situation, diplomacy, and India-Finland cooperation on digitalisation and sustainability.
Why It Matters
The exchange reflects an ongoing diplomatic friction point between India and European nations over India's continued purchases of Russian oil following the Russia-Ukraine conflict. European governments have at times criticised India's stance as insufficiently aligned with Western positions on Russia. Jaishankar's remarks at the Kultaranta Talks represent a direct, public pushback against this characterisation in a European forum, framing India's energy choices as pragmatic decisions rather than political alignment with Russia.
Latest Developments
Jaishankar stressed the need for resilient and diversified supply chains, sustained diplomatic efforts and greater international cooperation to deal with the fallout of ongoing conflicts, saying their impact extends "far beyond the regions" where they occur. [ETV Bharat](https://www.etvbharat.com/en/international/jaishankar-calls-for-resilient-supply-chains-diplomacy-amid-global-conflicts-at-finland-forum-enn26061107678) In a social media post following the discussion, Jaishankar said it was noted that ongoing conflicts are imposing costs and triggering changes far beyond the regions where they occur. [Outlook India](https://www.outlookindia.com/international/jaishankar-calls-for-resilient-supply-chains-diplomacy-amid-global-conflicts-at-finland-forum-2)
Top India News Analysis
India is strongly registering to the world that India is buying oil for the good of its citizens where as European countries are selling weapons to make money that are used for takingg lives across countries where India is also one of its sufferer. Still India did nothing against European countries and justified that India is just continuing the long relationship of the oil purchase
Key Takeaways
- Jaishankar defended India's Russian oil purchases as decisions based on cost and availability, not political alignment.
- He stated that no European country has been attacked with Indian weapons, contrasting this with European-origin weapons used against India.
- The remarks were made during a panel discussion at the Kultaranta Talks in Finland alongside Finnish and UAE foreign ministry officials.
- Jaishankar also addressed broader themes including supply chain resilience, diplomacy, and India-EU cooperation.
Sources Consulted
- Business Today
- India TV News
- ETV Bharat
- Outlook India
Author: Manjula Devi R
Publisher: Top India News
