New Delhi: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has questioned what he described as Western “double standards” in sanctions policy, asking why India is being “singled out” over its oil trade with Russia while European nations quietly secure exemptions.
During a discussion with UK Trade Minister Douglas Alexander, Goyal highlighted the inconsistency, noting that London and Berlin had already resolved their own energy supply issues with Washington’s approval. “So then why single out India?” Goyal asked, drawing widespread praise online after the exchange went viral.
The British minister, momentarily taken aback, clarified that the issue “was about a specific subsidiary in relation to Rosneft,” the Russian state-owned oil giant. However, he added, “Come and talk to us. My door is always open,” suggesting the UK’s willingness to engage on the matter.
Unfazed, Goyal pressed further, pointing out that India also hosts subsidiaries of Rosneft and called out the inconsistency in how sanctions are applied. The exchange underscored what many observers see as “Western double standards,” where European allies often receive flexibility under US and EU sanctions regimes, while countries like India face external pressure for maintaining strategic autonomy.
New Delhi has repeatedly defended its imports of Russian crude, asserting that its energy purchases are guided by national interest and conducted in full compliance with international law.
The debate came shortly after Washington imposed new sanctions on two of Russia’s largest oil companies—Rosneft and Lukoil—citing Moscow’s lack of commitment to peace talks in Ukraine. The White House later claimed that India and China had begun reducing Russian oil imports at the request of President Donald Trump.
At present, India faces a 50 percent tariff from the US, half of which was introduced as a penalty for continuing oil imports from Russia.
