Kremlin says India’s Russian energy imports hit ‘new record’ every month as Putin heads to Delhi
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Kremlin says India’s Russian energy imports hit ‘new record’ every month as Putin heads to Delhi")
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov addresses Indian media, an event organised by Sputnik media. Photograph: (WION)
Russia has said India’s imports of Russian energy have reached a “new record” every month, highlighting the growing energy trade between the two countries ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Delhi.
Russia has refused to put a number on how much energy India is buying from it, but says the volume is still rising, and that proposed US penalties aimed at those purchases are “illegal” and “unacceptable”.
The comments came from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in a virtual briefing with Indian journalists on Tuesday, days before President Vladimir Putin travels to New Delhi for the BRICS summit and a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The briefing was organised by Sputnik media.
Asked about Indian imports of Russian oil and other energy by WION, Peskov declined to give figures “for understandable reasons”. He added: “Every month we have a new record.” India became one of the world’s largest buyers of discounted Russian crude after Western countries curtailed purchases following the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine in 2022. New Delhi has long argued that its energy choices are a matter of national interest and that it does not recognise unilateral sanctions outside the UN system.
Peskov was scathing about draft US legislation -a Russia sanctions bill- that would allow Washington to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that are among the biggest buyers of Russian oil and gas. “We consider it illegal, unfair and unacceptable,” he said of attempts to restrict third countries’ trade with Russia.
He said most of Russia’s trade with BRICS partners is now settled in national currencies, about 90%, according to his figure, and that Moscow was not pursuing “de-dollarisation” as an end in itself. Rather, he said, some countries, as an indication to the US, had used their currencies as “tools for political pressure”.
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Peskov confirmed that Putin will attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi on 12–13 September and hold talks with Modi on Friday, 11 September. The two leaders last met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, a few days ago. The Kremlin spokesperson said they remain in “personal contact” and that Friday’s meeting would cover the “wide scope” of trade, energy, defence and technology, some of it, he noted, discussed “discreetly” because of pressure from “unfriendly countries”. He described India as a “strategic partner” and said Moscow welcomed Indian companies’ interest in Russian projects.
On the war in Ukraine, Peskov said Russia “knows the position of India” and that it “to a great extent corresponds to our own position”. Moscow wanted a solution, he said, and “we welcome [the] willingness of [the] Indian side to contribute”. India has repeatedly called for dialogue and an end to the conflict. Peskov also addressed reports of Indian nationals serving in the Russian army. The issue had been raised by New Delhi, he said. A list was being compiled and those identified “will be sent back home”.
Defence cooperation featured prominently. Peskov said Russia and India had moved beyond a simple buyer-seller relationship, citing the jointly produced BrahMos cruise missile. “It is time to think about improving those missiles, adding some additional characteristics, making them more competitive in the market and more effective,” he said.
Peskov rejected the idea that BRICS is an anti-Western bloc. “We join India in not agreeing with those who say BRICS is against some Western countries. BRICS is for BRICS members, and those who share [its] ideology. It is not against any third party.” He praised India’s investment in its BRICS presidency and said the summit would be “successful”.
