India should continue to buy Russian oil and retain control over its energy choices as the US raises the pressure on major buyers, strategic affairs scholar Happymon Jacob told RT.
A recently-passed sanctions bill gives US President Donald Trump the power to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries, including India, for purchasing Russian energy. New Delhi has maintained that its energy decisions are driven by national requirements and market conditions.
Russian oil should not be removed from the global market and India has no reason to stop buying it, Jacob told RT India in the latest episode of the ‘India, Russia, and the World’ podcast. He is the Delhi-based founder of the Council for Strategic and Defense Research think tank.
“I don’t think the world should take Russian oil off the table. I don’t think India should stop buying Russian oil,” he said. “You cannot let the Americans control your energy tap.”
India needs to keep a broad basket of energy options that include Russia, the Middle East, the US, and South America, along with renewable sources, Jacob said, adding that removing one of these options would reduce India’s flexibility at a time when energy supplies are exposed to geopolitical disruptions.
Russia is now India’s top supplier of crude oil, with September shipments tracking at around 1.9 million barrels per day, preliminary data from Kpler shows.
India is dependent on several external partners across key sectors, Jacob said. For energy, New Delhi relies heavily on Russia and the Gulf, while its technology links are concentrated in the US and allied countries. He argued that these dependencies mean India has to weigh the costs of resisting pressure from larger powers.
Jacob called the threat of US sanctions on India as “unfair and unjust,” adding that New Delhi will need to manage its relationship with Washington through diplomacy and other channels.
India has limited room to push back, he argued, pointing to New Delhi’s earlier decision to halt Iranian oil purchases, and its subsequent reduction in Russian oil imports following US pressure. He noted that India’s actions have often been more cautious than its public responses. Maintaining access to multiple suppliers, including Russia, is crucial to India’s energy security, Jacob said.