Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 26: India is set to diplomatically take up the issue of being “singled out” by the United States and the United Kingdom over crude oil purchases from Russian energy major Rosneft, even as Germany has been granted exemptions under similar circumstances.
According to top government sources, New Delhi will raise the matter “at an appropriate diplomatic level” with both Washington and London after the two nations asked India to halt crude oil imports from Rosneft and Lukoil — Russian companies sanctioned by the West.
The move comes amid growing concerns that such actions could expose India to secondary sanctions, despite Germany receiving a waiver that allows its firms to continue dealings with Rosneft subsidiaries.
Rosneft, which holds a 49.13 per cent stake in Gujarat-based Nayara Energy Ltd, was sanctioned by the European Union on July 18 and by the UK last week. Sources pointed out that India’s situation is “near identical” to Germany’s — yet the Western response has been inconsistent.
Following the new round of sanctions, Britain issued a special licence to let its companies continue working with two German Rosneft subsidiaries — Rosneft Deutschland GmbH and RN Refining and Marketing GmbH — both under temporary German state control until March 2026.
Germany has also sought similar waivers from the United States to allow three Russian-owned but German-managed refineries — PCK Schwedt, MiRo, and Bayernoil — to keep operating normally. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told local media that he was confident Washington would grant the exemptions.
In contrast, the US and UK have asked India and other Rosneft customers to sever ties by November 21, a move that could severely impact India’s crude supply chain. India currently sources nearly 2 million barrels of crude oil daily from Russia. Since the announcement of sanctions, global crude prices have surged by nearly $5 per barrel, increasing India’s daily import cost by an estimated $7–9 million.
Speaking at the Berlin Global Dialogue, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal questioned the apparent double standards. Addressing UK Trade Minister Chris Bryant, Goyal said, “The UK has sorted out its issues with Germany and the Americans will do something similar. Then why single out India?”
Goyal also highlighted that while several Western nations received sanction exemptions and tariff reliefs, India continues to face a 25 per cent punitive tariff on Russian oil imports — plus a reciprocal 25 per cent tariff on goods exported to the US, taking the total levies to nearly 50 per cent.
Germany, meanwhile, had sidestepped sanctions through a legal mechanism known as trusteeship in September 2022, allowing its government to temporarily manage Rosneft’s assets in critical refineries and maintain uninterrupted energy supplies.
With rising oil prices and increasing geopolitical friction, India’s diplomatic engagement in the coming days will be crucial in determining whether a similar waiver or flexibility can be secured to safeguard its energy and economic interests.