India Buys Russian Oil for Its Own Development, Says Russian Envoy as Moscow Reaffirms Energy Partnership

Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov has said that New Delhi’s purchases of Russian crude are driven by India’s own development and energy requirements rather than by an intention to economically support Moscow, as Russia reaffirmed its readiness to remain a major energy supplier to India.

His remarks underline Moscow’s argument that India-Russia energy trade is fundamentally commercial, based on India’s large energy requirements and Russia’s position as a competitive supplier rather than political assistance from one country to another.

Alipov also reiterated that Russia was prepared to supply as much oil as India required. He criticised sanctions and secondary economic restrictions on Russian energy trade, describing pressure on countries purchasing Russian crude as an attempt to influence normal commercial decisions.

This is consistent with the position the Russian Embassy has expressed publicly on several occasions. Earlier in 2026, Alipov said Russia was prepared to supply as much crude as the Indian market was willing to absorb and argued that Russian energy could not realistically be removed from global supply chains. The Embassy has also maintained that India does not require approval from another country to decide where it purchases energy.

India’s own position has centred on energy security, affordability and the needs of its population. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, during his September 3 visit to Kyiv, again stressed that India has consistently favoured dialogue and diplomacy as the route to ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict rather than expecting a battlefield solution. He also highlighted the wider consequences of conflicts for fuel, fertiliser and food supplies across the Global South.

During interactions surrounding the visit, Jaishankar also stressed the challenge of providing energy for India’s population of more than 1.4 billion people at a time of volatility in international energy markets. His broader argument was that the conflict would ultimately have to be resolved through diplomacy and negotiation rather than through decisions over individual purchases of oil, minerals, metals or fertilisers.

India’s approach reflects the scale of its dependence on imported crude. As one of the world’s largest oil-consuming economies, India imports the majority of the crude required by its refineries. Maintaining diversified sources of supply therefore has direct consequences for domestic fuel availability, inflation, transportation costs and the wider economy.

Russian crude became a particularly important component of India’s import basket after 2022 as Indian refiners increased purchases when Russian grades became available at commercially attractive prices. The resulting growth in energy trade transformed the overall value of India-Russia commerce and made hydrocarbons one of the central pillars of the bilateral economic relationship.

New Delhi has nevertheless continued to diversify its suppliers rather than relying exclusively on any one country. India’s energy strategy includes crude and gas imports from West Asia, Russia, the United States and other producers while simultaneously expanding renewable energy, domestic exploration, strategic petroleum reserves and alternative fuels.

The latest comments from Alipov therefore reinforce an established feature of the India-Russia relationship: Moscow views India as a major long-term energy market, while New Delhi approaches energy purchases primarily through the prism of availability, affordability and national economic requirements.

India has at the same time continued to advocate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war through negotiations. Akashvani reported on September 5 that Jaishankar said India remains in continuous contact with both Russia and Ukraine and is exploring ideas that could contribute to mitigating or ending the conflict. He reiterated that “endless war” must ultimately give way to an end to war and that India is prepared to contribute wherever it can.

Alipov’s remarks consequently place Russia’s energy relationship with India within a broader strategic framework: India purchases Russian crude because it serves its own economic and energy-security requirements, while its diplomatic position on the Ukraine conflict remains centred on dialogue, negotiation and an eventual political settlement.

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Source: Russian Embassy in India — Official Telegram post confirming Denis Alipov’s DD India interview

The Embassy’s post says:

“An interview with Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov on DD India. Catch the full conversation today, on September 4, at 8:30 pm on DD India with Sakal Bhatt.”

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