S Jaishankar slams EU for seeking action against India over purchase of Russian oil

Responding to Josep Borrell, head of foreign policy for the EU, who called for action against Indian refined products made from Russian crude, in response External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday suggested that he look at EU Council rules.

“As you can see from EU Council legislation, Russian oil is significantly changed in a third nation and is no longer treated as Russian. I strongly suggest that you read Council Regulation 833/2014,” Mr Jaishankar remarked.

As Western nations move to tighten sanctions on Moscow’s energy industry, the EU should crack down on India reselling Russian oil as refined fuels such as diesel into Europe, the bloc’s chief diplomat said earlier.

While Borrell met with Mr Jaishankar at the trade technology talks in Brussels, he was not present at the press conference that followed.

In her speech, Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s executive vice president for competition, stated that there was “no doubt about the legal basis of the sanctions” and that the EU and India would discuss the matter as “friends… with an extended hand and, of course, not a pointed finger.”

Piyush Goyal, the minister of commerce, and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the minister of state for entrepreneurship, skill development, electronics, and technology, attended the meeting in addition to Mr. Jaishankar.

Jaishankar arrived in Brussels on Monday to begin his trip to three countries, including Bangladesh and Sweden.

In the past, Mr Jaishankar had obliquely criticised the West for pressuring New Delhi to reduce trade with Russia in light of its military activity in Ukraine. Earlier, Jaishankar had defended India’s imports from Russia.