India’s continued import of discounted Russian oil in the face of sweeping Western sanctions has drawn critical attention from NATO members.
While no formal decision has been made, signals from the alliance hint at possible economic sanctions or punitive actions aimed at New Delhi. These developments underscore the rising tension between India’s pursuit of strategic autonomy and Western expectations of alignment in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
India’s Energy Policy Sparks NATO Discontent
NATO’s unease stems from India’s decision to prioritise energy security by purchasing Russian crude at discounted prices.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Western alliance has imposed far-reaching sanctions to isolate Moscow economically.
Energy exports—Russia’s key revenue stream—have become a central target.
India, recognising an opportunity amid shifting global oil markets, significantly increased imports of Russian crude.
While this move helped cushion Indian consumers from global price shocks, NATO countries see it as undermining the impact of sanctions.
India Defends Its Strategic and Economic Choices
Indian officials have consistently defended their energy strategy, citing long-standing ties with Russia and the need to secure affordable energy for a population of over 1.4 billion.
New Delhi has clarified that these oil purchases are not a political endorsement of Moscow’s actions but a pragmatic response to economic realities.
Russia continues to supply around 60% of India’s military hardware, making it a vital defence partner.
India has also called for peace in Ukraine, respect for international law, and dialogue, maintaining a principled yet non-aligned stance throughout the conflict.
NATO’s potential sanctions highlight a deeper conflict: the West’s expectation that India, as the world’s largest democracy and a strategic partner, should align more closely with its geopolitical framework.
However, India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has projected a confident foreign policy that prioritises sovereignty and multipolarity.
India has resisted similar pressures in the past. It went ahead with the purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile systems despite threats of US sanctions under CAATSA. It also stood firm on its internal decisions, such as the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, which drew criticism from some European nations.
Strategic Autonomy Remains India’s Foreign Policy Pillar
India’s foreign policy, rooted in non-alignment and strategic autonomy, refuses to be tethered to military alliances like NATO.
While India partners with Western nations in forums such as the Quad and G20, it has communicated that such collaborations will not come at the cost of its ties with Russia.
India’s relationship with Moscow is not transactional but deeply strategic.
Historical solidarity, such as Russia’s support during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, continues to shape bilateral trust.
For India, breaking ties with Russia would compromise its defence readiness and erode its ability to act as a neutral interlocutor in global conflicts.
The NATO criticism also reveals double standards. Several European countries continued to import Russian gas well into 2022, citing domestic energy needs.
Only after finding alternatives and facing public pressure did those imports taper off.
Indian policymakers and the public alike recognise the West’s selective application of principles, reinforcing domestic support for the government’s independent stance.
Domestically, any threat of NATO sanctions is likely to boost nationalist sentiment and validate Prime Minister Modi’s ‘Vishwaguru Bharat’ narrative, portraying India as a rising global power unwilling to bow to outdated geopolitical frameworks.
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