• Source:JND
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India is currently grappling with a domestic cooking gas crisis as the liquified petroleum gas (LPG) supply has been hit in the wake of Strait of Hormuz closure by Iran.

Iran's efforts are guided to send global economic shockwaves as it faces a two-sided attack from the United States and Israel. As uncertainty looms over the fate of imports through the strait in near future, India is looking for alternate sources to procure gas, including Russia.

What did MEA say on Russian gas?

While speaking at a weekly press conference, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the government is willing to buy LPG from Russia in order to meet domestic demand.

"We're trying to buy LPG from everywhere, wherever it's available. So if Russia is available, we'll go there too. Because the current situation is such that we have to ensure that our people's fuel needs are met," Jaiswal said.

"I can say that we want to have a wide range of options," he added.

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Russian crude, a flashpoint between the US and India

The remarks are significant as India's Russian crude import became a flashpoint in the relationship between India and the United States, which had imposed 25 per cent additional tariff on Indian goods. However, the tariff was slashed to zero after India and the US reached consensus on terms of trade deal.

US President Donald Trump claimed that the punitive tariff was lifted after India agreed to halt Russian crude import, a condition which was not confirmed by India.

However, India's import of Russian oil fell sharply after that as discounts previously offered by Moscow were also reduced in the wake of eased sanctions on Russian crude.

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The intensified war in the Middle East further pushed the US to reconsider its position as crude supply was also hit. The US announced a 30-day waiver for India to buy Russian oil.

As the announcement triggered a backlash back home, the government issued a firm statement, saying it does not need a permission to buy Russia oil and that its procurements are guided by national interest.


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