New Delhi — India’s oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri has strongly rejected accusations from Washington that New Delhi is turning itself into a “laundromat” for Russian oil, insisting the country’s energy trade is both lawful and essential for stabilizing global markets.
The remarks come amid intensifying criticism from American officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and trade adviser Peter Navarro, who claim India has been importing discounted Russian crude and reselling refined products at inflated prices. Their allegations have been framed as evidence that New Delhi is indirectly financing Moscow’s war effort while reaping profits from Western sanctions.
Puri dismissed such claims as politically motivated and detached from the realities of global energy demand. He stressed that India’s purchases of Russian crude adhere to the Group of Seven and European Union price-cap mechanism, which was designed to limit Moscow’s revenue while preventing shocks to oil supplies.
“Every shipment that arrives in India is carried on insured vessels, with authorized traders, and through fully audited channels,” the minister explained, noting that New Delhi has not violated any international obligations.
India, the world’s third-largest energy consumer, has long been among the top four exporters of petroleum products, a position it held well before the Ukraine conflict. Officials argue that the country’s vast refining capacity allows it to process crude efficiently and supply global markets that would otherwise face shortages. Puri warned that without India’s continued imports, oil prices might have spiked to as high as $200 a barrel, triggering a severe global economic crisis.
The minister also reminded critics that New Delhi’s energy strategy is guided by the needs of its 1.4 billion citizens, who face the risks of soaring fuel costs if supplies are disrupted. India’s role, he emphasized, is not one of profiteering but of ensuring balance in a volatile market that has been upended by Western sanctions and geopolitical rivalry.
According to Reuters, Puri underscored India’s position as a responsible stakeholder in the global oil economy, pushing back against what he called unfair narratives emanating from Washington and defending New Delhi’s right to chart its independent energy policy.
