‘We’re All Adults... We Know What the Game Is’: Jaishankar on US Sanctions on Russian Oil; Calls Russia a ‘Steady Supplier’

Helsinki/Finland: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar pushed back firmly against criticism of India’s energy purchases from Russia, emphasising pragmatic geopolitics over moral posturing during the Kultaranta Talks in Finland on Thursday.

Speaking at a panel on ‘Emerging Powers and the New Geopolitical Competition’, Jaishankar addressed questions about New Delhi’s alleged “moral ambiguity” regarding Moscow. He described Russia as a “steady supplier” of oil and criticised the inconsistent approach of Western sanctions.

“We’re all adults... We know what the game is,” Jaishankar said, taking aim at the Trump administration’s “on-off” policy on sanctions and trade with Russia. 

“If the policy is on one day and off the next — do it when it suits us and don’t do it when it doesn’t — then come on, we’re all adults in the room. We know how the game is played. So, I don’t think making this about sanctimony is really warranted,” he said.

Jaishankar noted that India did not buy significant volumes of Russian oil before 2022, but circumstances after the Ukraine conflict, including Europe’s diversion of Gulf supplies traditionally relied upon by India, compelled New Delhi to enter that market. He highlighted Russia’s reliability: “Russians have been steady suppliers because they put the cargoes out there and you go out there and buy oil, whichever is the most reasonable and available oil.”

He further pointed out that the US itself had encouraged India to buy Russian oil in 2022 to help stabilise global energy markets, only to later impose and then adjust tariffs.

Rebutting ‘Moral Ambiguity’ Claims

In a pointed rebuttal to European criticism, Jaishankar highlighted perceived double standards. He argued that European countries have supplied weapons later used against India, while “no Indian weapons are used to attack Europe.”

“Europeans sell weapons used to attack India,” he stated, underscoring that India’s defence ties and energy decisions are driven by national interests, availability, and cost, not ideology.

The remarks come amid ongoing global debates on energy security, sanctions efficacy, and strategic autonomy for emerging powers. Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen reportedly acknowledged aspects of India’s position, noting that purchases remained within mechanisms like the G7 price cap.

Jaishankar’s comments reflect India’s consistent stance of pursuing multi-alignment in a complex geopolitical landscape, prioritising energy security for its 1.4 billion population while navigating pressures from multiple quarters.

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