India slams energy supply disruptions, says oil trade cannot be held hostage

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday condemned the disruption of global oil supplies through sanctions and maritime chokepoints, calling deliberate attacks on energy trade and infrastructure a "calculated strategy to hold prices hostage."

“Emphasised that continuous distortions of energy markets through obstacles, sanctions & chokepoints are happening with increasing frequency, greater complexity & wider impact,” Jaishankar mentioned in a post on X about his speech at the G20 Plenary.
Jaishankar said the world faces an energy crisis defined by unpredictability and disruption, with unaffordable costs and difficulty getting supplies. He said such distortions are occurring more often, with greater complexity and wider impact.

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His remarks came amid US sanctions on Iranian oil sales, disruptions to energy supplies from West Asia, and a decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel. Earlier in September, US President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which threatened tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and backed out of it within a month.
Jaishankar urged the G20 to show understanding and leadership to keep energy markets "open and predictable." He also stressed that India needs reliable LPG supplies for clean cooking.
On critical minerals, he reiterated India's National Mission, which covers exploration and recycling. He also spoke about a proposed G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative.
The comments add to India's wider pushback against unilateral trade measures. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has argued that tariffs imposed unilaterally must follow World Trade Organisation rules, as India faces a 10% US "forced labour" tariff and an American probe into alleged excess capacity.