Skip to content
International Policy News Politics

COLUMN: The Indian Minister in Kyiv, and the Oil He Won’t Let Go Of
Maxime Marquette

Primary Sources:

Office of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy discusses peace efforts, security issues, and bilateral cooperation with the Indian Minister of External Affairs: first separate visit in the history of bilateral relations, bilateral trade of $2.6 billion, Indian sailors killed in the Black Sea, September 3, 2026, 6:15 p.m.

Office of the President of Ukraine, India-Ukraine Joint Statement following the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Kyiv: diplomatic relations since 1992, strategic partnership, commitment to restore trade to pre-war levels, memorandums signed, Ukrainian support for a permanent Indian seat on the Security Council, August 23, 2024

Office of the Prime Minister of India, text of the India-Ukraine joint statement: United Nations Charter, territorial integrity and sovereignty, peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, intergovernmental commission, August 23, 2024

White House, fact sheet on the U.S.–India trade agreement: removal of the 25% tariff in exchange for halting purchases of Russian oil, reciprocal tariff lowered from 25% to 18%, India’s intention to purchase more than $500 billion in U.S. goods, February 6, 2026

Akashvani News (Prasar Bharati, India), the U.S. Senate passes the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctions Act against Russia and Iran by a vote of 86 to 11: tariffs of up to 100% against the top five importers of Russian energy; extension of the 1996 Iran Act through 2031, August 8, 2026

Akashvani News (Prasar Bharati, India), India abstains in the United Nations General Assembly on a draft resolution supporting lasting peace in Ukraine: 107 in favor, 12 against, 51 abstentions, February 2026

Secondary Sources:

United24 Media, historic visit by the Indian Minister of External Affairs to Kyiv: discussions on the peace process, Black Sea security, and global food security; remarks by Andrii Sybiha; bilateral trade of $2.6 billion, September 3, 2026

Kyiv Independent, “The war against Ukraine cannot be resolved by simply stopping the purchase of Russian oil,” says Indian minister: fifth year of the conflict, second-largest global buyer of Russian crude, U.S. tariffs reduced from 25% to 18%, vote expected in the House in September 2026, September 3, 2026

The Tribune, remarks by S. Jaishankar in Kyiv: neither oil nor aluminum nor metals nor fertilizer; resolution through dialogue, diplomacy, and negotiation; energy for 1.4 billion people; mutual respect for each other’s perspectives, September 4, 2026

The Tribune, India says it is ready to help: 19 shipments of humanitarian aid totaling 160 metric tons, including generators, medicines, and medical supplies; condolences following the death of an Indian national in Kyiv; tribute to Gandhi and meeting with embassy staff, September 3, 2026

The Week, One Indian Among the Twelve Killed in Ukraine in Overnight Russian Strikes: 187 drones and 5 ballistic missiles destroyed; eight dead in Kyiv, four in Boryspil; seven railway workers killed at a rail yard, September 1, 2026

United24 Media, an Indian citizen among the twelve killed in Russian ballistic missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and Ukraine; statement by Volodymyr Zelensky, September 1, 2026

India TV News, India summons Russian chargé d’affaires after three cruise missiles struck the MV Golden Leo off the coast of Odessa: four Indian sailors killed, one seriously injured; five of the seventeen crew members were Indian, according to a statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, July 21, 2026

Business Standard, Russia remains India’s top crude oil supplier in August: 2.1 million barrels per day and over 40% of the total, compared to 2.6 million in June and July; the United Arab Emirates at 611,000 barrels, according to Kpler data and comments by Sumit Ritolia, August 27, 2026

ThePrint, Russian crude has never left India’s import mix: about 2% of imports before 2022, 43–44% in June and July 2024, an average of 1.7 million barrels per day in 2025, falling below 25% from December 2025 to February 2026, Kpler data

ThePrint, India’s dependence on crude oil imports reaches a record 88.7% in 2025–26, up from 85.5% in 2021–22; domestic production at 28.0 million metric tons, down from 29.7, July 27, 2026

ThePrint: Indian imports from Russia rose by 52.59% in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026–27; crude oil imports increased by 55% to $23.61 billion, up from $15.14 billion; Indian exports totaled $1.24 billion; total trade stood at $13.1 billion in 2021–22

CargoNet, India-Russia trade reached a record $68.69 billion in 2025-26, with a target of $100 billion by 2030 and $50 billion in mutual investments; Rosneft committed over $25 billion, according to Commerce Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia, July 9, 2026

The Tribune, India rejects claims that it will halt imports of Russian oil: the energy security of 1.4 billion people remains the top priority, remarks by spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, denial by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, February 5, 2026

ANI, India reaffirms the priority of its energy security in the face of the U.S. bill targeting buyers of Russian oil; remarks by Randhir Jaiswal on national priorities, July 31, 2026

Euromaidan Press, the General Assembly adopts a resolution supporting lasting peace in Ukraine by a vote of 107 to 12, with 51 abstentions; India, China, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and Hungary abstain; U.S. amendment rejected by a vote of 69 to 11; remarks by Mariana Betsa, February 24, 2026

Al Jazeera: The U.S. Senate passes the energy sanctions bill targeting Russia by a vote of 86 to 11; tariffs of up to 100% on the top five importers; illicit maritime networks targeted; House vote not expected until early September, August 8, 2026

Kyiv Post, Russia launches 163 drones at Ukraine; 135 shot down: about half were jet-powered; impacts on 15 sites and debris at four others; injuries reported in Boryspil and the Khmelnytskyi region; a pharmaceutical warehouse on fire, September 3, 2026

Deccan Chronicle, Ukraine Welcomes Narendra Modi’s Call to Move from an Endless War to an End to the War: Andrii Sybiha Comments on the Historic Moment and Attacks on Ports and Civilian Shipping; Intergovernmental Commission Convenes, September 3, 2026

The Week, Jaishankar-Zelensky meeting in Kyiv: “This is not an era of war; solutions will not come from the battlefield”—Narendra Modi’s remarks to Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, September 3, 2026

This content was created with the help of AI.

facebook icon twitter icon linkedin icon
Copied!

Comments

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
More Content