Times of India: Indian Foreign Ministry responded to Borrell’s threats concerning Russian oil
The Indian Foreign Ministry advised Borrell to study the EU regulations before complaining about Russian oil, writes the Times of India. The ministry explained that Russian oil that has undergone substantial processing in a third country is no longer considered Russian.
Not 24 hours after EU top diplomat Josep Borrell criticized India for allegedly “violating” Western sanctions against Russia, the EU executive vice president spoke the language of reconciliation and urged the EU and India to discuss the issue “as friends,” extending hands rather than waving a finger. Borrell’s intemperate comments and the call to deal with India came after a report by the Finnish Energy and Clean Air Research Center (CREA). It cited India as one of the “laundry” countries where Russian oil is “laundered”. They claim that New Delhi is allegedly “circumventing sanctions” because the EU buys Indian diesel and gasoline from Russian oil.
The Indian government has categorically rejected this formulation of the issue. The foreign minister said that under international rules Russian oil substantially refined in a third country ceases to be considered Russian oil. Brussels was right to soften the irrelevant attacks of its leadership; Borrell saw a violation on a level playing field. India has every right to import crude oil and export refined products, regardless of the country of origin.