India exposes double standards following EU imposes sanctions on Moscow
(MENAFN) India has strongly opposed the European Union’s latest sanctions on Russia, emphasizing that the measures could negatively impact its own energy security and economic interests. In a statement released Friday, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs reaffirmed New Delhi’s position against unilateral sanctions, describing India as a “responsible actor” in the global energy market.
“The Indian government sees energy security as a critical responsibility to ensure the basic needs of its people,” a ministry spokesperson said. “There should be no double standards, particularly in matters of energy trade.”
These comments were made in response to the EU’s 18th package of sanctions on Russia, introduced as part of ongoing efforts to penalize Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. The new restrictions are aimed primarily at reducing revenue from Russia’s oil sector and include a ban on the import of refined petroleum products made from Russian crude.
Among those affected is Nayara Energy’s Vadinar refinery in Gujarat—India’s second-largest private refinery—which is partly owned by Russian oil giant Rosneft (49% stake). EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced that, for the first time, the EU is sanctioning both a national flag registry and a major Rosneft-linked facility in India.
Sanctioning India’s flag registry allows the EU to penalize any India-flagged ships transporting Russian oil. The Vadinar refinery, acquired by a Rosneft-led group from India’s Essar Group in 2017 for $12.9 billion, processes up to 20 million tonnes of crude annually.
Since Russia’s military escalation in Ukraine in early 2022, it has become India’s top crude oil supplier, accounting for nearly 40% of Indian imports. At the same time, India has increased its exports of refined petroleum products to Europe, much of which are processed from Russian crude.
The EU’s latest ban also creates risks for Reliance Industries, a leading Indian company in the oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors. According to The Economic Times, Reliance could also be barred from the European market if the sanctions are enforced strictly, raising concerns about the broader impact on India’s energy exports.
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