Union Minister Suresh Gopi Avoids Clear Reply on Russian Oil Imports in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: During the Parliament session on Monday, the Central Government did not give a clear response in Rajya Sabha when asked whether the country is currently importing crude oil from Russia.

Responding to a question by John Brittas on the countries from which India is importing crude oil, Suresh Gopi, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, said that India purchases oil from 41 countries. In his reply, he specifically mentioned the United States and several Gulf nations, but did not include Russia in the list.

The minister said that India has recently increased purchases from countries such as Nigeria, Angola, Canada, Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico. He also stated that India continues to rely on traditional suppliers in West Asia, including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

The question gained attention in the context of pressure from the United States, which had urged India to stop purchasing Russian oil. After India complied with the US directive, Washington announced the withdrawal of the heavy retaliatory duty imposed earlier.

However, amid the ongoing West Asian conflict, the United States later allowed India to purchase Russian crude oil for a limited period of one month. Despite this development, Russia’s name was not mentioned in the minister’s reply in Parliament, leading to questions from opposition members about the government’s current oil import policy.