New Delhi / Munich: India on Saturday reaffirmed its longstanding foreign policy of strategic autonomy in the wake of statements by US officials suggesting New Delhi has agreed to reduce or halt imports of Russian crude oil amid Washington’s sanctions on Moscow.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar pushed back against comments by the United States that India had committed to stop buying Russian oil as part of recent trade discussions. He said that New Delhi’s decisions on energy purchases are guided by market realities — including costs, risks and availability — and not by external political pressure. The minister also spoke about India-German ties on the sidelines of the conference.
“We are very much wedded to strategic autonomy,” Jaishankar said in response to a question about whether a new trade understanding with the U.S. would affect India’s established policy of independent decision-making. He stressed that the policy of autonomy is rooted in India’s history and “cuts across the political spectrum”.
Jaishankar described today’s global energy market as complex and said that Indian oil companies, like their counterparts elsewhere, choose suppliers based on what they deem to be in their best interests. He reiterated that New Delhi remains free to make independent choices, even if those decisions don’t always align with the perspectives of Western partners.
The minister’s comments came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly told journalists at the conference that Washington believes it has secured India’s commitment to stop buying additional Russian crude following new sanctions on Russia’s energy sector.
Jaishankar was participating in the discussion with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul at the Munich Security Conference.
India has neither officially confirmed nor denied Washington’s claim of such a commitment. Meanwhile, Russia has disputed the US characterization, with its officials saying no formal assurance on ending oil supplies to India has been made.
Jaishankar used his address at Munich to place the episode in a broader context, noting that the world is undergoing “unprecedented changes” and that countries are recalculating policies amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. He also called for reforms in global institutions such as the United Nations to better reflect contemporary realities.
On India-Germany relations
Jaishankar also held a bilateral meeting with German Foreign Affairs Minister Johann Wadephul on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. The two sides assessed the progress of cooperation in various domains and spoke about regional hotspots.
At a time when the world is heading toward greater multipolarity and more centres of decision-making, it is important for India to revitalise its relations with Europe, Jaishankar said. “Relationships don’t happen just by visits and agreements and headline news or even discussions here. They need a lot of comfort building…We need India and Europe and India and Germany to work to build that level of comfort, which, I think is imminently feasible,” Jaishankar said.
Wadephul said the uncertainties on the international stage have pushed Europe, including Germany, to look for new global partners with shared values and interests. “India is one of the most important partners for Germany,” he said, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
The two sides are working together to reform the UN and also cooperating in trade, defence, resilience to climate change, and defending democracy and international rules-based standards, he added.
Today at #MSC2026, 🇮🇳 Minister of External Affairs @DrSJaishankar highlighted that strong India–Europe and India–Germany relations require deep, trust building connections at all levels. pic.twitter.com/WwNTteQmX8
— Munich Security Conference (@MunSecConf) February 14, 2026
