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India is buying crude oil from Russia for its energy needs and national development, and not to help Russia. Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said this in a recent interview to DD News. He said that India is buying oil from Russia keeping its interests in mind. Its purpose is not to help Russia.

Speaking to DD News, Denis Alipov said, “India does not buy Russian oil to help Russia. It is buying oil for itself and for its national development.”

Alipov also said on Friday that Moscow is committed to meeting India's energy needs. He also criticized the secondary sanctions being imposed by western countries.

India's crude oil purchases from Russia increased rapidly after 2022. The main reason for this was the price cap imposed on Russia's energy sales by the G-7 and the European Union and the sanctions imposed by Western countries. After the impact on the demand and purchase of Russian oil in the European market, India joined the countries buying large quantities of crude oil from Russia. India is currently the second largest buyer of Russian crude oil in the world.

America has already imposed additional tariffs on Indian goods for purchasing energy from Russia. Last year, 25 percent duty was imposed on goods coming from India. However, this duty was lifted in February this year after New Delhi and Washington agreed on the framework of an interim agreement on trade deal. Despite this, the threat of US tariffs on oil purchases from Russia has not completely ended.

A bill has been introduced in the US Senate, which proposes to impose up to 100 percent tariff on all goods coming from the five largest countries purchasing crude oil from Russia. India is currently the second largest country purchasing crude oil from Russia. If this proposal becomes law, it may affect Indian goods as well. However, at present this is only a proposed bill.

Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov, speaking to ANI, said that India has already shown that it can stand firm on its stand and protect its national interests. He said Moscow is ready to provide “as much oil as it needs” to India as per its requirement.

Alipov also criticized Western countries' sanctions and tariffs. He said that these countries have adopted the strategy of creating pressure instead of honest cooperation. “Unfortunately, those who impose sanctions and tariffs have adopted pressure tactics rather than honest cooperation. This does not put those countries in a position to give India a better deal on oil than us,” Alipov said, according to ANI.