Exterior Affairs Minister Vikram Misri stated on Monday (February 9, 2026) that India’s oil imports can be guided by “nationwide pursuits”, however didn’t refute US President Donald Trump’s declare that India had promised to cease shopping for Russian oil. Misri’s assertion got here as the federal government prepares to transient parliamentarians on commerce offers it has signed with the European Union and america, in addition to commerce relations with Bangladesh.
In response to a notification despatched on Monday (February 9, 2026), the Ministry of Exterior Affairs will transient the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Exterior Affairs, chaired by senior Congress chief Shashi Tharoor, on Tuesday (February 10, 2026). Opposition events, in the meantime, intensified their assaults on points surrounding the commerce deal, together with its impression on farmers and the federal government’s refusal to verify or deny Trump’s claims.
“What I can say with nice confidence is that on the finish of the day, the nationwide curiosity guides our decisions, whether or not it is authorities or certainly our enterprise[sector],” Misri informed reporters at a briefing to debate Seychelles President Patrick Harminy’s go to to India. Misri stated the principle drivers of India’s vitality coverage are “satisfactory availability, truthful pricing and reliability of provide” and stated that is “a reasonably advanced matrix of points”.
Nonetheless, he didn’t instantly react or touch upon the US president’s government order that threatened to reinstate tariffs if India buys extra, saying that India had already began halting purchases of Russian crude oil whereas rescinding the 25% punitive tariffs imposed on India on Friday (6 February 2026).
“Our strategy is to keep up a number of sources of provide to make sure stability and diversify them appropriately. So we are able to say that the extra diversified we’re on this space, the safer we will probably be,” Misri added.
Lower in imports
Almost 25% of India’s oil imports nonetheless come from Russia, however India is anticipated to extend imports from different nations, together with america and Venezuela. as hinduism Studies final week stated India’s purchases of Russian oil have fallen to a 38-month low in December 2025, and a lot of information companies confirmed on Monday that main Indian refiners Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Reliance Industries have thus far prevented advance orders for April altogether.
However thus far, the federal government has neither confirmed nor denied the US declare that it has agreed to halt Russian oil imports. When requested in regards to the deal final week, Exterior Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar referred inquiries to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, who stated questions relating to Russian oil can be answered by the Exterior Affairs Ministry.
“On the Russian oil challenge and India-US commerce deal, the commerce minister says to ask the overseas minister, the overseas minister says to ask the commerce minister, and the oil minister is preoccupied with different points,” Congress basic secretary Jairam Ramesh stated in a put up, including that that is in distinction to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s coverage of a “complete of presidency” strategy.
As well as, the division will reply questions from parliamentary committee members in regards to the impression of the FTA with the EU and the joint assertion with america.
In its preliminary report back to the panel, the ministry shared particulars of the EU settlement and commerce quantity with Bangladesh. The federal government careworn the significance of the settlement and stated the EU was in a great place to form “worldwide requirements and narratives”. He added that India and the EU at the moment are “pure most popular companions”.
The ministry highlighted that within the final two years, over 30 visits by heads of state or authorities stage and over 150 ministerial stage engagements passed off between India and Europe. Below the FTA with the EU, India has secured preferential entry to the European market throughout 97% of its tariff traces and covers 99.5% of its commerce quantity, it stated.
The division’s memo on U.S. commerce outlines the advantages of the commerce deal being negotiated. He talked about Trump’s government order, however omitted any point out of controversial facets reminiscent of India’s “dedication” to halt oil imports from Russia.
As for Bangladesh, the ministry will clarify the downturn in commerce relations and connectivity because of bilateral tensions with the Yunus authorities in Dhaka, which it hopes will probably be reset as soon as an elected authorities takes workplace after the Feb. 12 elections. In response to statistics, India’s exports to Bangladesh have thus far declined from $11 billion in 2024-25 to $8 billion in 2025-26.
issued – February 9, 2026 10:19pm IST
