"Caution Against Double Standards": India On NATO's Russia Trade Warning
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, at the weekly media briefing in Delhi, said, "We have seen reports on the subject and are closely following the developments. Let me reiterate that securing the energy needs of our people is understandably an overriding priority for us."
Mr Jaiswal warned of double standards regarding the matter and said, "In this endeavour, we are guided by what is on offer in the markets and by prevailing global circumstances. We would particularly caution against any double standards on the matter."
Mr Rutte had warned on Wednesday that countries such as Brazil, China and India could be hit very hard by secondary sanctions if they continued to do business with Russia.
He made the comment while meeting with senators in the US Congress. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had announced new weapons for Ukraine and had threatened to slap 100 per cent tariffs on any country buying Russian exports, unless there is a peace deal in 50 days.
"My encouragement to these three countries, particularly is, if you live now in Beijing, or in Delhi, or you are the president of Brazil, you might want to take a look into this, because this might hit you very hard," Rutte told reporters.
"So please make the phone call to Vladimir Putin and tell him that he has to get serious about peace talks, because otherwise this will slam back on Brazil, on India and on China in a massive way," Rutte added.
However, European and NATO members continue to be large buyers if Russian energy exports. According to to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, EU has been the largest buyer of Russian liquified natural gas and pipeline gas since 2022 and Turkey, a NATO member, has been the largest buyer of Russian oil products. The EU has proposed to phase out Russian oil and natural gas imports by 2027 and January 2028, respectively.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also said on Thursday that India could meet its oil requirements through "alternative sources" if the Russian supplies were hit by secondary sanctions.
"I'm not worried at all. If something happens, we'll deal with it. India has diversified the sources of supply and we have gone, I think, from about 27 countries that we used to buy from to about 40 countries now," Mr Puri said, per Reuters.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
6 minutes ago
- The Hindu
In India's first outreach to post-Assad regime, MEA Joint Secretary meets Syrian Foreign Minister Al-Shaibani
Marking a fresh beginning in ties with Damascus in the post-Assad era, India reached out to the Syrian provisional government under the leadership of President Ahmed Hussein Al-Sharaa this week. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Joint Secretary Suresh Kumar, of the West Asia and North Africa division, met with the Syrian provisional government's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani on Monday (July 28, 2025) in Damascus, according to officials here. Sources said he was accompanied by several other Indian officials, including the Indian Ambassador to Syria, Irshad Ahmed. Both teams held 'constructive dialogue on issues of mutual interest and explored new avenues to strengthen bilateral ties for the benefit of both nations', Syria's Foreign Ministry said on its official Telegram channel. This is India's first outreach to Syria since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, who was ousted in December 2024 after a quarter century in power. India had maintained close ties with the Syrian Arab Republic under his rule and that of his father Hafiz Al Assad, who was President for three decades, from 1970 onwards. Since the end of the Assad era though, India has been championing a 'Syrian-led' government to resolve the political crisis that has gripped the country. Medical aid Apart from his meeting with the Syrian Foreign Minister, Mr. Kumar also met Syrian Health Minister Musab Al-Ali. Syria has a large war-affected population in need of urgent medical care and the two sides discussed cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector and in the training of medical personnel to help the affected population. In a post on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India had also handed over a 'consignment of 5 MT of essential life saving medicines, including anti-cancer, antibiotics and anti-hypertensives to Syria'. He added: 'India's humanitarian support to the people of Syria continues.' Pharma cooperation had also featured in the India-Syria Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) of November 2024 — barely a week before Mr. Assad's ouster — when Mr. Kumar had led the Indian delegation in talks with a Syrian team led by the Assad regime's Deputy Foreign Minister Ayman Raad. Seeking global legitimacy Mr. Kumar's current meetings come against the backdrop of increased internal strife in Syria, with various political, religious, and sectarian groups fighting for control in Damascus since the fall of the Assad government on December 8, 2024. Syria's current provisional government is headed by Ahmed Hussein Al-Shara, a former Al Qaeda leader who also led the Al Qaeda-allied Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a terrorist group. He is also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad Al Jolani. Since the fall of the Assad regime, several governments have reached out to President Al Shara as Syria grapples with internal and external challenges. In recent months, the Foreign Minister, Mr. Al Shaibani has met a number of foreign delegates, including the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Turkiye, as the provisional government seeks global legitimacy. Recharging Syria policy Reacting to the meeting in Damascus, former Indian diplomat Zikrur Rahman said that India's outreach is in sync with its policy of wait and watch regarding Syria. 'India has not evacuated its embassy in Damascus since the crisis in Syria escalated and ended with the fall of the government of Bashar Al Assad. Therefore, it was a matter of time before India would formally reach out to the new rulers in Damascus and recharge its Syria policy in consultation with other regional partners like the Gulf countries,' said Prof Rahman. Syria is expected to adopt a new Constitution and India has supported the drafting of an inclusive Constitution. India's policy on the future of Syria has been reiterated on multiple occasions since the fall of the Assad government. A day after Mr. Assad fled to Moscow, the MEA's Mr. Jaiswal had said: 'We underline the need for all parties to work towards preserving the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. We advocate a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process respecting the interests and aspirations of all sections of Syrian society.'
Time of India
23 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump acknowledges "real starvation" in Gaza, vows to increase food aid
US President Donald Trump has acknowledged the severe hunger crisis in Gaza after months of largely deflecting questions on the issue, stating that the United States would increase food aid to the war-hit enclave, The New York Times reported. During a 75-minute press session with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland on Monday, Trump pledged to "set up food centers" in Gaza, although he offered no specifics on how aid would reach the enclave that has faced more than 20 months of Israeli bombardment and aid restrictions. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Healthcare Degree healthcare Public Policy Finance Data Science MBA Artificial Intelligence Leadership Technology Data Science Others Management Product Management Cybersecurity Project Management MCA others CXO Operations Management Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis in Healthcare Financial Management & Investing Strategic Management in Healthcare Process Design & Analysis Financial Analysis in Healthcare Financial Management & Investing Strategic Management in Healthcare Process Design & Analysis Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Certificate Program in Healthcare Management Starts on Jun 13, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis in Healthcare Financial Management & Investing Strategic Management in Healthcare Process Design & Analysis Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Certificate Program in Healthcare Management Starts on Jun 13, 2024 Get Details "We're giving money and things," Trump said, adding, "I want to make sure they get the food, every ounce of food." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 10 Signs Your Dog Loves You More Than Anything Liseer Read More According to The New York Times, Trump's shift in tone came after meetings with several European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Starmer, who reportedly spoke of a "sense of revulsion" at the suffering in Gaza. "That's real starvation stuff, I see it, and you can't fake that," Trump said. "We have to get the kids fed." Live Events At least 56 Palestinians died from starvation this month alone, nearly half of the total deaths from hunger since the war began 22 months ago, the Gaza Health Ministry stated on Saturday. International agencies and medical experts have repeatedly warned that a famine is sweeping through the region due to Israel's tight restrictions on food and medicine. Earlier, Trump had drawn criticism for downplaying the humanitarian catastrophe, reportedly complaining that the United States had not received gratitude for the aid already provided. "Nobody said, 'Gee, thank you very much,'" Trump remarked on Sunday. "And it would be nice to have at least a thank you." During a meeting with von der Leyen, he called the crisis "not a U.S. problem, it's an international problem," while reiterating frustrations over a lack of recognition for America's contributions. The New York Times noted that his administration recently approved $30 million in funding for an Israeli-backed aid system in Gaza run mostly by American contractors. However, Trump's remarks on Monday marked a notable departure from his recent stance, as he criticised the existing distribution mechanisms and called for more accessible aid delivery. "We're going to set up food centers and where people can walk in and no boundaries. We're not going to have fences," he said. "They see the food. It's all there, but nobody's at it because they have fences set up that nobody can even get it. It's crazy what's going on over there." He added that Britain would support the United States in the new aid push. Trump also appeared to distance himself from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent claims that there was no starvation in Gaza. "I don't particularly agree with that, Trump said, adding, "The children look very hungry." Despite Trump's assertion that "no other nation gave money," The New York Times reported that the European Union had spent approximately $605 million on Gaza aid since 2023, according to the European Commission. The hunger crisis in Gaza has become one of the worst humanitarian emergencies in recent memory, with over two million Palestinians living amid widespread destruction and shortages of essential supplies. Trump's remarks have raised questions about whether his "America First" foreign policy can adapt to a crisis that demands multilateral humanitarian leadership, the New York Times noted.
India.com
33 minutes ago
- India.com
Iran gets India's Russian superweapon, tests S-400 missile defence for first time, Israel and US will now...
New Delhi: Nearly a month after the end of the 12-day standoff with Israel, Iran has done something that could reshape the balance of power in the Middle East. Iran has reportedly conducted the first operational test of the Russian-made S-400 air defence system. Iranian defence media outlet has given this information. When did Iran conduct operational test of the Russian air defence system? According to the report, the operational test of the Russian air defence system took place on 26 July 2025 near the city of Isfahan, about 440 km south of Tehran. Isfahan is a strategically important city of Iran, where Israel and the US bombed the Iranian nuclear facility. This is the confirmation of the first actual deployment of the S-400 system on Iranian soil, which regional analysts have described as a clear message to Israel and the USA. Analysts say that now Tehran's airspace will not be easily intruded without paying a big price. Why is this new air defence system a threat to Israel and America? Earlier, during the war in June, Israeli planes claimed to have captured Iran's airspace. Israel destroyed Iran's air defence in air strikes. Even Russia's S-300 air defence system, possessed by Iran, was also targeted by Israeli attacks. But now, after the deployment of one of the world's most advanced long-range air defence systems in the form of S-400, it will not be easy to enter Iranian airspace. Which missile was tested? According to the report of Defense Security Asia, the missile defence system tested appears to be a complete S-400 battery, which includes 91N6E Big Bird acquisition radar, 92N6E Grave Stone engagement radar, centralized command-and-control unit and several 5P85TE2 transporter erector launchers. The missiles reportedly used in the operational exercise include the 48N6E3 missile with a range of up to 250 km, capable of destroying targets at a distance of 380 km. What does Iran say about the test? Although Iran's Defense Ministry has not yet released any official confirmation or footage of the test, OSINT platforms have confirmed abnormal emissions consistent with the S-400 radar profile. Defense Security Asia quoted a defense expert based in the Gulf region as saying, 'The test of the S-400 in Iran indicates a qualitative jump in its ability to prevent enemy access to critical infrastructure and military areas in front of Israeli fifth-generation platforms such as the F-35I.'
