India exercises strategic autonomy: EAM in Munich

India continues to pursue a policy of strategic autonomy and the country’s decisions on energy purchases will be made after considering availability, cost and risks, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday against the backdrop of Washington's assertions that New Delhi has committed to reduce Russian oil imports.

- HT Correspondent

S Jaishankar

Jaishankar, who was participating in a discussion with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul at the Munich Security Conference, said that countries across the world are recalculating their policies amid unprecedented changes on the international stage and looking for common ground to strengthen each other.

Responding to a question on whether India having to wean itself of Russian oil under a trade deal with the US had impacted the country’s strategic autonomy, Jaishankar said New Delhi still exercises strategic autonomy which is “very deep and...cuts across the political spectrum”.

“We are very much wedded to strategic autonomy because it’s very much a part of our history and our evolution,” he said.

“Where the energy issues are concerned, this is today a complex market, oil companies in India — as in Europe, as probably in other parts of the world — look at availability, cost and risks and take the decisions that they feel is in their best interests.”