Russia ready to supply India with as much oil as needed

Russia has said it is ready to continue supplying India with as much crude oil as the country needs, despite growing pressure from the United States over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian energy.

Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov criticised what he described as US “pressure tactics”, saying Moscow remains willing to offer India a reliable supply of crude.

Speaking to ANI, Alipov said Russia was prepared to supply as much oil as India required. He argued that countries imposing sanctions and tariffs had chosen pressure instead of cooperation, making it difficult for them to offer India a better deal on oil.

The remarks come amid escalating tensions between Washington and New Delhi over India’s continued purchases of Russian crude. The Trump administration has already imposed additional tariffs on India, citing its purchase of Russian oil and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The United States has also backed moves to increase economic pressure on major buyers of Russian energy. A proposal in the US Senate has sought to give the administration greater authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries purchasing Russian crude and natural gas.

India, along with China and Turkey, could be affected by such measures because of their significant purchases of Russian energy.

Alipov warned that removing Russian crude from global markets would create serious problems for the international energy system. He said global energy markets could not easily cope with the exclusion of Russian oil and maintained that Russian crude would continue to remain available to India and other countries.

India has maintained that its energy decisions are guided primarily by the needs of its population and the stability of the domestic energy market. New Delhi has repeatedly defended its right to pursue energy purchases based on national interests.

The Russian envoy praised India for maintaining its position despite external pressure. He said New Delhi had demonstrated its ability to “stand its ground” and defend its national interests.

Russia has emerged as one of India’s major crude suppliers since the Ukraine conflict disrupted traditional energy trade patterns. Discounted Russian oil became increasingly important for Indian refiners, helping them manage energy costs.

With the US now threatening tougher measures against countries buying Russian energy, the issue has become an important point of tension in India-US relations. At the same time, Moscow is signalling that it wants to preserve its long-term energy partnership with New Delhi.

The latest Russian statement indicates that Moscow remains keen to keep Indian buyers supplied, even as geopolitical pressure over Russian crude continues to intensify.