Energy needs our priority, no double standards please: India to Nato

Just hours after North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) chief Mark Rutte warned that those doing business with Russia — especially in oil and gas — could be hit hard by secondary sanctions, India on Thursday shot back and cautioned against any "double standards" while asserting that securing energy needs was "an overriding priority" for it.

- ARCHIS MOHAN

"Securing energy needs of our people is understandably an overriding priority for us. In this endeavour, we are guided by what is there on offer in the markets, as also by the prevailing global circumstances," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

"We would particularly caution against any double standards on the matter," Jaiswal added.

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte had on Wednesday said that countries like India, China and Brazil could be hit very hard by secondary sanctions if they continued to do business with Russia.