"Have A Better Deal?": S Jaishankar's Reply To Russian Oil Question

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday gave a stern reply to the 'criticism' on India's purchase of Russian oil, while strongly asserting that the world is realising the need to be at the negotiating table to resolve the nearly three-year long Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Being asked about getting 'cheap oil' from Russia, Mr Jaishankar in a stern reply said, "I get oil, yes. It is not necessarily cheap. Do you have a better deal?"

Mr Jaishankar was speaking at the 22nd edition of the Doha Forum panel on 'Conflict Resolution in a New Era' where Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Norway Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide were also present.

"Pleased to participate @DohaForumpanel today on the topic "Conflict Resolution in a New Era" in Doha today along with PM & FM@MBA_Al Thani_of Qatar and FM @EspenBarthEide of Norway. As the conflicts around us increase, the need of the hour is more diplomacy, not less," he stated in a post on X.

Pleased to participate @DohaForum panel today on the topic “Conflict Resolution in a New Era” in Doha today along with PM & FM @MBA_AlThani_ of ???????? and FM @EspenBarthEide of ????????.

As the conflicts around us increase, the need of the hour is more diplomacy, not less. #DohaForum pic.twitter.com/aQ1mF0lOhP

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) December 7, 2024

Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Mr Jaishankar reiterated India's stance that the situation can only be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, and not on the battlefield.

"We've always held to the view that this war is not going to be solved on the battlefield. At the end of the day, people are going to return to some kind of negotiating table, the sooner the better. Our effort has been to facilitate that to the extent possible. That has not been the most popular thing, at least in some parts of the world," Mr Jaishankar said at the discussion.

The Foreign Minister further emphasised that the world is accepting the reality of negotiation rather than continuing the war. He further pointed out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia and Ukraine, with the aim to encourage a resolution to the conflict.

"I do think today, the needle is moving more towards the reality of the negotiation than the continuation of the war...We are going to Moscow, talking to President Putin, going to Kyiv, engaging President Zelensky, meeting them in other places, trying to see if we can encourage find common threads that can be picked up at some point in time when the circumstances are right to be developed," he said.

Mr Jaishankar, however, also clarified that India does not have a 'peace plan' to resolve the conflict, but holds "honest and transparent" conversations between both parties.

"We're not attempting a peace plan, we're not doing a mediation in that sense. We're doing multiple conversations and are very transparent about telling each party that the end of conversation that this is what we'll tell the other party. We think that at this point of time, the most useful...diplomatically," he said.

He further added that he believed that it was important to bring the Global South's perspective on how they are impacted by the war.

"We also believe in this that we articulate the sentiments and the interests of the global South, 125 other countries who found their fuel costs, food costs, inflation, their fertilizer cost impacted by this war," he said.

Mr Jaishankar is on an official visit to Qatar and Bahrain from December 6-9.

In Bahrain, he will co-chair the 4th India-Bahrain High Joint Commission (HJC) with the Foreign Minister of Bahrain, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. EAM will also participate in the 20th edition of IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain on December 8.

Earlier on Saturday, he met Qatari Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani and Minister of State, Ahmed Al Sayed on the sidelines of the Doha Forum.
The leaders were seen shaking hands and holding talks.

"Pleased to meet Qatari Minister of Commerce & Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani and MoS Ahmed Al Sayed on the sidelines of the Doha Forum today," Mr Jaishankar stated in a post on X.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)