External affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Friday hit out at sections of the international community which are criticising India for buying Russian oil and accusing New Delhi of funding Russia’s war on Ukraine in the process.
“Is buying Russian gas not funding the war,’’ he shot back while responding to questions at an interactive session at the Bratislava Conclave in the Slovanian capital; referring to the fact that Europe is still buying Russian gas despite its conflict with Ukraine.
At the conclave, Jaishankar once again called out the hypocrisy of the West on oil purchases when asked about India’s increase in oil imports from Russia since the war broke out. The increase is estimated to be nine times this month but Jaishankar argued that the original base was very small.
