India has strongly pushed back against recent remarks by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who warned that countries like India, China, and Brazil could face harsh secondary sanctions for maintaining commercial ties with Russia—especially in the energy sector. The warning, delivered during meetings in Washington, drew a sharp response from New Delhi, highlighting the growing tensions between national interest and Western geopolitical pressures.
At a press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that energy security remains India’s top priority. “Securing the energy needs of our people is understandably an overriding priority,” he said, adding a pointed caution against “double standards,” a reference to several Western nations continuing to import Russian energy while calling for sanctions against others.
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri further underlined India’s preparedness to deal with any disruption. He noted that India has already diversified its energy imports from 27 to nearly 40 countries, including new partnerships with nations like Brazil, Guyana, and Canada. “If something happens, we'll deal with it,” Puri said, stressing the country’s strategic resilience and ongoing exploration efforts.
India’s criticism of double standards is rooted in data showing that many European and NATO countries remain among the top importers of Russian oil and gas, even after the Ukraine conflict began. While the EU has committed to phasing out Russian energy by 2027–28, its current dependence undermines the credibility of sanction threats against others.
In rejecting external pressure, India has made clear that it will chart its own course based on economic and energy realities, not geopolitical coercion. The response signals India's growing confidence in defending its interests amid complex global alignments.