India responds firmly to US waiver order: Buying Russian oil has never required permission from any country

(1) In response to the 30-day waiver issued by the United States, the Indian government gave a strong reply on Saturday. In a statement released by the Press Information Bureau of India, it was clearly stated that India will continue to advance its Russian oil imports, while emphasizing that such purchases by India have never required permission from any country. (2) The statement pointed out that India's purchase of Russian oil has never depended on any country's "short-term waivers." Data shows that as of February 2026, India is still importing Russian oil, and Russia remains India's largest crude oil supplier. (3) India's stance clearly delineates the boundaries of sovereignty: the waiver is a unilateral act by the United States, and India's purchase of Russian oil is a decision based on its own energy needs and diplomatic autonomy. Such strong wording is both an explanation to domestic public opinion and a signal to Washington—that India's energy procurement decisions are not influenced by external temporary policies.