It is plain to see that the US senate bill's real objective is to derail India's time-tested strategic partnership with Russia, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The US senate last week passed a bill that would allow Washington to impose tariffs on major buyers of Russian energy.
India is expected to receive the fourth unit of the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system from Russia in the first part of next month, further enhancing the IAF's air defence mechanism.
India significantly increased its crude oil imports from Russia and the United Arab Emirates in June, securing supplies as the Strait of Hormuz began to reopen, with Russian barrels remaining attractive due to discounts and UAE supplies offsetting earlier uncertainties.
The United States has announced it will not renew sanctions exemptions for the purchase of Russian and Iranian oil, ending a 30-day waiver that allowed some countries, including India, to continue importing Russian oil despite sanctions related to the Ukraine war.
Biden said the US will continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates.
Bangladesh-China and Bangladesh-US relations have evolved from reluctant engagement to increasingly consequential strategic partnerships.
British armed forces, including Royal Marine Commandos, intercepted the Russian shadow fleet oil tanker SMYRTOS in the English Channel, marking the UK's first such operation. The action aims to disrupt Russia's funding for its war in Ukraine, with the UK government highlighting the shadow fleet's role in sustaining Moscow's military efforts.
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent ally of former President Donald Trump and an influential voice on American foreign policy, has passed away at 71 following a 'brief and sudden illness', leaving a significant void in Washington's political landscape.
India has removed a key regulatory hurdle, allowing exporters to receive payments in Indian currency while retaining incentives under the country's foreign trade policy, a move aimed at promoting wider use of the rupee in international trade.
The US Department of the Treasury on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, in an effort to pressure the Kremlin to end its war in Ukraine.
Former World Champion Viswanathan Anand has reversed his earlier decision not to seek another term and will contest the election for the FIDE Deputy President's post.
India's crude oil imports from Russia reached a record high of approximately 2.73 million barrels per day (mbpd) in June, driven by discounts of $2-5 a barrel. This surge comes as the West Asia crisis disrupted supplies from traditional sources and China reduced its own purchases, leading Russia to offer more favourable terms to India.
The International Olympic Committee has provisionally lifted its ban on the Russian Olympic Committee, which was imposed in 2023. This decision opens the door for Russian athletes to return to international competitions, including the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, though the use of national symbols remains undecided.
Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov met with Indian leaders to discuss strengthening bilateral ties in key sectors amidst the escalating conflict in West Asia.
We are back to the 1971 moment with both China and the US supporting Pakistan, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Beijing to discuss the West Asia conflict, the Strait of Hormuz blockade, and bilateral relations with Chinese leaders.
India will continue to purchase Russian oil based on commercial viability and energy security needs, irrespective of US sanctions waivers, according to a senior petroleum ministry official.
In an official statement, the embassy criticised remarks by the Russian foreign ministry, alleging that Moscow was attempting to manipulate information and interfere in India's internal processes.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has strongly defended India's decision to purchase Russian crude oil, stating that the country's energy choices are based on cost and availability, and highlighting the West's 'hypocrisy' in criticising India while historically supplying weapons used against it.
Whether Trump will actually press ahead with the oil sanctions remains unclear, since keeping Russian oil out of the world market risks high oil prices which could boomerang on the US economy and be damaging politically for Trump, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The harsh truth is that the US is no longer a reliable partner, cautions Ramesh Menon.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered New Delhi Russia's fifth-generation stealth aircraft Sukhoi Su-57 and even suggested that the combat jet could even be jointly produced in India in line with the strong strategic partnership between the two countries.
India bought 1.87 million barrels of Russian oil per day in May so far, meeting approximately 40 per cent of its oil imports.
Russia has a "special mechanism" to confront any challenge arising out of the US slapping punitive measures against India for its procurement of Russian crude oil, Russian charge d'affaires Roman Babushkin said on Wednesday.
Indian refiners are negotiating for additional crude cargoes from the US, Russia, and West Africa to ensure adequate supplies amid Middle East tensions. Refineries are maintaining normal processing rates and deferring maintenance to build reserves. The move comes as conflict impacts tanker movements through the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy transit route.
Despite decades of efforts towards energy transition, oil will remain the critical energy source for all nations for some decades. We can hope for peace opening the Strait of Hormuz, but must prepare for war closing it, points out former foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai.
India has cautioned against 'double standards' regarding its energy procurement from Russia, asserting that it is based on national interests and market dynamics, following a threat of secondary sanctions from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Sanctioning Russian oil would have led to a sharp surge in oil prices to above $80 per barrel levels, which would impact pump prices in the US ahead of midterm elections next year.
According to a statement cited by TASS, the Russian foreign ministry said it is closely monitoring reports that the US military has boarded the tanker Mariner, originally Bella 1, on the high seas, noting that Russian citizens are among the crew.
India is navigating a complex diplomatic landscape, attempting to balance its 'forever honeymoon' with the Israel-UAE-Bahrain axis against its historical ties with Iran, as evidenced by recent high-level visits and evolving geopolitical realignments in the Middle East, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
US sanctions against two of Russia's largest oil companies are expected to impact Reliance Industries' crude imports from Russia, while state-run refiners may continue purchases through intermediary traders for now.
The European Union has sanctioned three India-based companies for their alleged links with the Russian military as part of its efforts to put economic pressure on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
A 500 per cent tariff would effectively shut out India's goods and services exports to the US.
Reliance Industries Ltd, India's largest buyer of Russian oil and most impacted by the latest US sanctions, on Friday said it will comply with all applicable restrictions and will adjust its refinery operations to meet compliance requirements.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday described the latest United States sanctions as an 'unfriendly move' that would not help relations between Moscow and Washington, DC.
A sovereign cloud, our own DNS root and Root CA, a defence-led research base that builds for keeps, and a real national cybersecurity strategy that outlives electoral cycles are not vanity projects. They are the difference between a nation that can be switched off and one that cannot, points out Venkata Satish Guttula.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit China for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, shortly after US President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing. The visit underscores the close strategic ties between China and Russia amid global tensions.
The United States has extended a waiver from sanctions to allow countries to buy petroleum products from Russia by a month, days after it ruled out renewal of the special measure.
The United States has imposed sanctions on 275 individuals and entities, including 15 from India, for allegedly supporting Russia's military-industrial base.
