India has reaffirmed that it will continue purchasing Russian oil despite geopolitical tensions and sanctions pressures, stating that its energy decisions are guided solely by national interests. The announcement came after the United States issued a temporary waiver allowing oil shipments currently stranded at sea to be sold to Indian buyers.
The waiver was granted by the U.S. Department of the Treasury on Thursday as global energy markets faced renewed volatility following the escalating U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran and retaliatory actions from Tehran across the Gulf region. The conflict has significantly disrupted oil supplies and triggered sharp increases in global crude prices.
Despite the waiver, India’s Press Information Bureau emphasized that the country does not rely on approval from other nations when making decisions about energy imports. In an official statement, the government said India has never depended on permission from any country to buy Russian oil and confirmed that Russia remains the country’s largest supplier of crude oil as of February 2026.
The comments also come after the Trump administration rolled back a 25 percent tariff on Indian exports earlier this year as part of an interim trade agreement between Washington and New Delhi. U.S. officials had suggested the tariff reduction was tied to India’s commitment to halt purchases of Russian oil, though the Indian government has not confirmed such a pledge and said oil procurement decisions remain based on domestic energy needs.
India also stated that it remains well prepared to manage any short term disruptions in supply. Officials reported that the country currently holds more than 250 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products in reserves, providing a significant buffer during periods of global market instability.
Meanwhile, oil markets have reacted strongly to the growing tensions in the Middle East. Global crude prices surged about 8.5 percent on Friday alone and climbed nearly 30 percent over the week after U.S. President Donald Trump declared that only the unconditional surrender of Iran would end the ongoing conflict. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also indicated that Washington is reviewing the possibility of easing sanctions on additional Russian oil shipments as the energy situation continues to evolve.
