'Would Not Necessarily Agree on Everything': Jaishankar Reaffirms India's 'Strategic Autonomy' on Russian Oil Amid India-US Trade Deal

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday reaffirmed India's "strategic autonomy" regarding the purchase of Russian oil, despite the India-US trade framework that urges India to halt procurement of Russian crude. The foreign minister, however, stressed the importance of finding common ground.

Addressing concerns over India's energy choices at the Munich Security Conference, Jaishankar stated, "We are very much wedded to strategic autonomy because it's a core part of our history and our evolution. It is something very deep, and it cuts across the political spectrum. As for energy issues, the market today is complex. Oil companies in India—as in Europe and other parts of the world—evaluate availability, costs, and risks to take decisions they feel are in their best interest."

He continued, "So many things are changing and so many of us are doing our calculations and recalculations... We would not necessarily agree on everything, but I believe that if there is an inclination to find common ground and overlaps, that will happen. But if the bottom line of your question is: 'Would I remain independent-minded and make my own decisions?' and 'Would I make choices which sometimes may not agree with your thinking?'—the answer is yes, that can happen."

On the sidelines of the conference, EAM S Jaishankar met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, and the Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas.

During the conference, Jaishankar also reflected on the shifting global landscape and stressed on the need for "comfort building" in relationships between nations.

"I would say the world is heading towards greater multipolarity, where there will be many more independent or autonomous centers of decision-making. Perhaps most interesting for many of us is Europe, as we have seen a sort of strategic reawakening there over the last few years," Jaishankar noted.

"Relationships don't happen just through visits, agreements, headline news, or even discussions here. They require a lot of comfort-building... We need India and Europe, and India and Germany, to work together to build that level of trust," he added.

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