New Delhi, June 13: Finland has extended unexpected diplomatic support to India regarding its continued procurement of Russian crude oil, stating that New Delhi has operated fully within the Western-imposed price cap framework.
During a panel discussion at the Kultaranta Talks in Finland, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen asserted that the Western price mechanism was specifically structured to permit ongoing purchases to prevent global market shocks. The discussion also included India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, and UAE Assistant Foreign Minister Lana Nusseibeh.
Valtonen stated that the regulatory framework aimed to restrict Moscow’s profit margins rather than completely halting trade flows. Observers noted that the intervention strengthens India’s long-standing position that its economic choices align with international guidelines.
The remarks coincided with a firm defense from Jaishankar, who rejected persistent Western criticism by stating that national energy procurement remains guided strictly by affordability and availability. He recalled that the 2022 sanctions forced European nations to buy up Middle Eastern oil, which traditionally supplied India, thereby altering global supply chains and forcing New Delhi to look elsewhere.
Jaishankar maintained that Western positions on the matter lacked consistency, pointing out that Washington had previously requested India to purchase Russian oil to help stabilize global energy prices.
“European countries had sold weapons used to attack India for many years,” Jaishankar declared, addressing the regional criticism. “Indians had never done anything to endanger Europe.”
The External Affairs Minister also dismissed assertions that global trade is shifting away from the Gulf region. While Russia remains India’s primary oil provider and the U.S. has surpassed Qatar as its top gas supplier, Jaishankar affirmed that India’s partnership with Gulf nations extends well beyond energy logistics.
