Energy sourcing decisions taken keeping 1.4 billion people in mind: India on Trump’s claim

India on Thursday made it clear that its energy sourcing decisions are guided solely by national interest and the imperative of ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people, responding to claims by US President Donald Trump that New Delhi had agreed to stop buying Russian oil as part of a major India-US trade deal.

Addressing media queries, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government’s position on energy security has been stated publicly on several occasions and remains unchanged. “So far as India’s energy security or energy sourcing is concerned, ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indians is the supreme priority of the government,” he said.

Jaiswal emphasised that diversification of energy sources, in line with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics, is at the core of India’s energy strategy. “All of India’s decisions are taken and will be taken with this in mind,” he said, underlining that policy choices are driven by commercial considerations and national requirements.

The clarification comes after President Trump, while announcing a major India-US trade deal, claimed that India had agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil and instead increase imports of energy and other goods from the US and “potentially, Venezuela”.

On Venezuela, the MEA spokesperson noted that the country has been a long-standing energy partner of India, both on the trade and investment fronts. He said India had imported crude oil from Venezuela until 2019-20, before purchases were halted due to sanctions. Imports briefly resumed in 2023-24 but were again stopped following the reimposition of sanctions.

Jaiswal pointed out that Indian public sector undertakings have established partnerships with Venezuela’s national oil company PDVSA and have maintained a presence in the country since 2008. “Consistent with our approach to energy security, India remains open to exploring the commercial merits of any crude supply options, including from Venezuela,” he said.

India’s response signals that while New Delhi remains open to diversifying energy imports, no single country or geopolitical consideration dictates its sourcing decisions, which continue to be anchored in affordability, availability and long-term energy security.