India has pushed back against the European Union’s latest round of sanctions on Russia, asserting that it does not subscribe to unilateral sanctions and reaffirming its commitment to securing the country’s energy needs.
Responding to media queries on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have noted the latest sanctions announced by the European Union. India does not subscribe to any unilateral sanction measures. We are a responsible actor and remain fully committed to our legal obligations.”
He further added, “Government of India considers the provision of energy security a responsibility of paramount importance to meet the basic needs of its citizens. We would stress that there should be no double standards, especially when it comes to energy trade.”
The MEA’s statement comes in the wake of the European Union’s intensified sanctions against Russia, aimed at curbing oil revenues and military capabilities in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The 18th sanctions package, announced almost two months after the previous one, is being described by EU officials as one of its strongest yet.
According to European diplomats cited by Reuters, the EU’s latest measures include a proposal to lower the G7’s price cap on Russian crude oil from $60 to $47.6 per barrel. The bloc has also introduced a new automatic and dynamic mechanism to ensure the oil price cap remains effective, pegging it 15 per cent below the average market rate.
The sanctions package imposes fresh banking restrictions and bans the import of refined petroleum products made from Russian crude oil and coming from any third country—except for Canada, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The aim, the EU said, is to prevent Russian oil from reaching the European market "through the back door."
A notable inclusion in the sanctions list is the Vadinar refinery in Gujarat, India, in which Russian energy giant Rosneft holds a 49.13 per cent stake. The EU has identified it as a major customer of the so-called "shadow fleet" — a network of non-EU tankers allegedly circumventing the oil price cap. The facility is India’s second-largest single-site refinery with a processing capacity of 20 million metric tonnes annually or 405,000 barrels per day.
In total, the EU has expanded its port access ban to 105 additional vessels, bringing the total to 444. These ships, according to the EU, support Russia’s energy sector, transport military goods, or are involved in moving stolen Ukrainian grain.
Further measures include limitations on Russian banks’ access to funding, a ban on the use of Nord Stream pipelines, and restrictions targeting Chinese banks that facilitate sanctions evasion. The sanctions also block exports of technology used in drones.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a statement, “The message is clear: Europe will not back down in its support for Ukraine. The EU will keep raising the pressure until Russia ends its war.”
The ongoing war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022, has led Western nations to impose sweeping sanctions on Moscow, especially targeting its energy sector. Since then, Russia has emerged as India’s top crude oil supplier, currently accounting for nearly 35 per cent of India’s overall oil imports, followed by Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday that India is confident of meeting its energy needs from alternative sources should Russian supplies be disrupted by the new sanctions.
Despite the differences over the Ukraine conflict, India and the EU have significantly deepened cooperation in trade, investment, defence, and security. Both sides are currently negotiating a free trade agreement, with the aim of concluding it by the end of the year.
(With inputs from Reuters)