India has firmly rejected the UK’s choice to impose sanctions on Indian refiner, with the Ministry of Exterior Affairs asserting that New Delhi doesn’t acknowledge unilateral sanctions and prioritizes power safety for its residents above Western strain campaigns concentrating on Russian oil commerce.
The pushback got here after the UK introduced sanctions on 90 entities, together with Nayara Vitality, as a part of its newest effort to curtail Russian income streams funding the warfare in Ukraine. The British authorities’s transfer locations India in an uncomfortable place, caught between Western allies demanding compliance with sanctions and its personal power safety imperatives which have led to elevated Russian oil purchases.
#WATCH | Delhi | MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, “We now have famous the most recent sanctions introduced by the UK… We don’t subscribe to any unilateral sanctions. The Authorities of India considers the availability of power safety a accountability of paramount significance to fulfill… pic.twitter.com/Ld5xWTbTEg — ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2025
What The UK Sanctions Goal
The UK’s newest sanctions package deal targets 90 entities and property that British authorities declare facilitate Moscow’s oil commerce, thereby producing income that funds Russia’s army operations in Ukraine. The sanctions signify a coordinated effort with Western allies to weaken President Vladimir Putin’s monetary assets by means of financial strain.
Among the many sanctioned entities are 4 oil terminals in China, 44 tankers from what Western governments name the “shadow fleet”—vessels transporting Russian crude oil outdoors regular business channels—and India’s Nayara Vitality Restricted.
In accordance with the British authorities, Nayara Vitality imported roughly 100 million barrels of Russian oil value over USD 5 billion in 2024 alone, making it one of many largest purchasers of Russian crude amongst non-public refiners globally.
Nayara Vitality Condemns Sanctions
Nayara Vitality, which owns India’s second-largest non-public refinery in Vadinar, Gujarat, has been questioned by Western nations for purchasing Russian crude. Partly owned by Russian firm Rosneft, Nayara denies breaking or bypassing any sanctions.
Timing Of The Sanctions
The timing of the UK sanctions can be important, coming simply days after Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Mumbai with a commerce delegation. Earlier, on July 24, throughout Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s go to to the UK, the 2 nations had signed a significant free commerce settlement, marking a excessive level in bilateral ties.