NATIONAL interest is the only guiding factor is India’s oil procurement policy and its handling. In these simple words, Foreign Secretary Mr. Vikram Misri explained what drives India in its dealings with other countries. Though the reference was the oil procurement and energy security policy, the context of Mr. Misri’s assertion was clear -- national interest as seen by the Government and the core need of the larger Indian society. Thus, the Foreign Secretary offered a clean interpretation of why India conducts itself in a particular manner while dealing with other countries -- in terms of strategic arrangements, in terms of trade and business, in terms of cultural exchanges. He has, thus, expected the common people to look at various issues from the standpoint of national interest. The obvious reference was to the repeated assertion by United States President Mr. Donald Trump about India’s acceptance to reduce oil purchases from Russia.

 

Though India has not said anything officially about the possible reduced oil purchases from Russia, the possibility also cannot be ruled out altogether. As and when required, India will increase or decrease its oil indent from Russia, but it is much less likely that the oil purchases from Russia would be stopped altogether. No matter the detail, it is obvious that the national need and interest would be the tipping point -- which is true for every such transaction and not just oil. India’s oil or energy requirement has been very massive. Currently, India buys oil from over 40 countries to fulfill its needs -- for immediate or current consumption or for storage for future. The critical component in the country’s energy security policy is an unhindered supply of oil to maintain the country’s different needs -- which the Government ensures by employing a complex policy in which use of multiple sources of supply is the most important aspect. So, no matter what the US President says, India cannot pander to anybody’s whims and fancies or political needs at the cost of national interests. Of course, the world knows by now how Mr. Donald Trump tried to browbeat India on the issue of purchase of oil from Russia.

 

He alleged that India’s oil-money was fuelling the RussiaUkraine war. No matter that pressure, India refused even to acknowledge Mr. Trump’s diatribes. When the US slapped higher tariffs on Indian goods, India started making frantic alternative arrangements, but did not compromise on its national interest. On diplomatic and futuristic considerations, India did not respond angrily or anxiously to the American diatribes. That, too, was in national interest in the long term. That policy paid rich dividends in the short as well as long term -- resulting in a successful culmination of India-US Bilateral Trade Deal. Even when that was happening, Mr. Trump kept harping that India would cease to buy Russian oil. India offered no reaction. Foreign Secretary Mr. Vikram Misri did well, however, to explain what actually guides India’s policies -- national interest.

 

That is the only guiding factor -- no matter what anybody may have to say. This is, of course, true for every country’s decisions on all issues -- depending wholly on leadership’s perception of critical issues. Since India has become a global player with the world’s eyes glued to its moves, the issue of purchase of Russian oil attracted lots of attention. Mr. Misri’s assertion, thus, appears to have stemmed from that need to explain the Indian position on Russian oil and other issues. Because India has successfully culminated trade deals with multiple countries and will do so in the future as well, its diplomatic handling of economic policies has come in sharp international focus. The dexterity with which India has made these deals happen has created enough curiosity about how India handles those multiple pressures from multiple players that include even the haughty United States. Mr. Misri’s explanation offers the right clue.