"Modi Government Feels No Pressure": Oil Minister Sees No "Moral Conflict" In Buying Russian Oil

"Modis government doesnt feel the pressure," says Hardeep Puri on dealing with Russia despite its aggression on Ukraine

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said there is no moral conflict, “absolutely none”, in India's purchase of oil from Russia, which is facing condemnation over its ongoing war on Ukraine. "Absolutely none. There is no moral conflict."I asked India's Minister of Petroleum @HardeepSPuri whether there was any moral conflict around his country's importing Russian oil, he tells me without Russian oil, prices will only go up. pic.twitter.com/Q6fZ4iN5bX

“We owe a moral duty to our consumers,” Mr Puri said in an interview with CNN at Abu Dhabi, citing India's population of 1.3 billion.

“We don't feel any pressure. [Narendra] Modi's government doesn't feel the pressure. We are the fifth largest economy in the world,” he further said during the interview, “India will respond according to its supreme national interest.

To a pointed question if there was moral conflict in buying from Russia, he said, “Absolutely none; absolutely none. There is no moral conflict. We don't buy from X or Y; we buy whatever is available... I don't do the buying. The government does not do it. Oil companies do."