New Delhis top diplomat has hit out at the selective application of principles after the US imposed new sanctions on Russian oil

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has called out Western double standards on energy trade, days after the US and EU announced new restrictions on the Russian energy sector.

Speaking at the 20th East Asia Summit in Malaysia on Monday, Jaishankar highlighted growing concerns about "the reliability of supply chains and access to markets."

"Energy trade is increasingly constricted, with resulting market distortions. Principles are applied selectively and what is preached is not necessarily practiced," Jaishankar said.

His remarks followed new US sanctions targeting Russian oil majors Rosneft and Lukoil, which are among the key suppliers of crude to Indian refineries.

Earlier, Washington imposed a 25% punitive tariff on India, in addition to a 25% "reciprocal" tariff on its exports, citing purchases of Russian oil and weaponry by the South Asian nation. US officials have accused New Delhi of playing a role in fueling theUkraine conflict, which India has firmly rejected.

Indian officials have frequently questioned pressure from Western nations over imports of Russian oil, while the US and European countries themselves continue to trade with Russia. The administration of US President Donald Trump has stopped short of imposing penalty tariffs on Europe and China, which have also been buying energy from Russia.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump last week claimed that India would reduce its oil imports from Russia, citing an "assurance" from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who met Jaishankar in Malaysia, told the media ahead of the meeting that India has "expressed an interest in diversifying its oil imports."

While New Delhi has not officially commented on the latest sanctions against Russian oil companies, it has repeatedly highlighted that its energy exports are driven by "national interest" and that it "does not subscribe to any unilateral sanction measures."

On Friday, Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal pointed out that while countries like Germany and the UK received various exemptions from US sanctions on the Russian oil sector, India was "singled out." He remarked that India, which is currently negotiating trade pacts with Washington and Brussels, will not be rushed into deals through coercion and pressure.

(RT.com)