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Balancing Interests
The Statesman Siliguri
|October 20, 2025
India’s energy diplomacy has reached an inflection point.
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The steady rise of Russian oil in India’s import basket, once seen as smart economics, now carries heavier geopolitical baggage. What began as a pragmatic response to Western sanctions on Moscow has evolved into a high-stakes balancing act, one that tests India’s claim to strategic autonomy as well as its credibility on the global stage.
The argument in Delhi is straightforward: India’s energy choices are guided by the welfare of its citizens. As the world’s third-largest oil importer, India cannot afford to ignore discounted Russian crude that saves billions of dollars and helps contain fuel prices at home.
This story is from the October 20, 2025 edition of The Statesman Siliguri.
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