New Delhi, August 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India is pursuing a strategy of sourcing crude oil and other energy supplies from a wider range of countries to safeguard its energy security amid disruptions linked to the conflict in West Asia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s energy policy remains focused on meeting the needs of its 1.4 billion people and ensuring supplies through diversified sources.
“Our energy security, what it is predicated on, is meeting our national priorities, which is securing the needs of our 1.4 billion people,” Jaiswal said during a media briefing.
“This remains the cornerstone of our energy security approach. And this is what we want to achieve through diversified sources. We want to source our energy through diversified sources,” he added.
The statement comes amid concerns over potential US tariffs on countries importing Russian oil. The US Senate has passed legislation giving President Donald Trump authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods from major buyers of Russian crude.
Western nations have opposed Russian oil purchases on the grounds that they help Moscow finance its war against Ukraine.
On the tariff issue, Jaiswal said discussions between India and the US were continuing as part of negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement.
India has significantly expanded the number of countries from which it imports crude oil, increasing the sourcing base from 27 to 41 countries following the outbreak of the Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic waterway normally carries about 20 per cent of global oil and gas exports.
At the same time, India’s crude imports from Russia have risen sharply and accounted for more than half of the country’s total oil imports in July.
India has also expanded its LNG sourcing base from six countries to 15, with the US now accounting for a significant share of those imports.
India meets more than 85 per cent of its crude oil requirement through imports, making diversification critical to reducing exposure to disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions and volatility in global energy markets.
Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi told Parliament on Monday that diversification had reduced India’s dependence on individual countries, regions and transit routes while strengthening its ability to manage supply disruptions and market volatility.
Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said the government regularly monitors energy-supply risks and assesses global market conditions in coordination with public-sector oil and gas companies and other stakeholders.
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