External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticised what he described as European double standards during a panel discussion in Finland after being questioned about India's purchase of Russian oil and its stance on Russia.
Speaking at the Kultaranta Talks on "Emerging Powers and the New Geopolitical Competition", Jaishankar responded to a journalist who suggested India had been too sympathetic to Russia and too willing to buy Russian oil.
Jaishankar said European countries had supplied weapons that were later used against India and argued that India had never posed a threat to Europe.
"No European country has been attacked with Indian weapons. I wish I could say that for Europe weapons vis-à-vis India," he said.
When asked to clarify the remark, he added, "Europe sells weapons, which are used to attack India. Not just now but for many years. We Indians have never done anything to endanger Europe."
Defending India's purchase of Russian oil, Jaishankar said decisions were based on cost and availability. He also claimed that the United States had encouraged India to continue buying Russian oil at a time when global energy markets were under pressure.
"I buy oil based on cost and availability," he said.
According to Jaishankar, European countries were purchasing large quantities of Middle Eastern oil, which had traditionally been supplied to India, leaving Russian oil as one of the available alternatives.
"At that point of time, much of the oil available in the market was from Russia because Europeans were essentially buying up the Middle East oil, which was our traditional supplier," he said.
Jaishankar also criticised what he described as inconsistencies in US policy, referring to sanctions and tariffs linked to Russian oil purchases.
"Right now, if you see, after having first put tariffs on us for buying Russian oil, the US then again lifted its sanctions. Let's not pretend there's some great principle involved here. I don't think making this about sanctimony is really warranted," he said.
India has consistently maintained that its energy imports are guided by national interest, energy security, and the welfare of its citizens, while continuing to call for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine conflict.