Until now, secondary restrictions imposed by Washington over energy cooperation with Russia have posed a major obstacle to India obtaining sufficient liquefied natural gas (LNG), needed for their industry. It is not clear whether New Delhi can further sustain compliance with such sanctions, given the damage imposed on India’s economy, along with increased frustration over Washington’s targeting of tankers carrying Iranian oil to India.
Now, India’s Ambassador to Moscow, Vinay Kumar, put on the table a possible break. He told Izvestia that India is ready to purchase Russian LNG: “India is interested in everything it needs from all possible sources, including Russia. Russia is our strategic partner and enjoys special advantages.”
Washington could try to manage the situation by granting India exemptions to the sanctions, as has been done for India’s oil purchases from Russia. However, the time might have passed for the success of such a temporary measure. Russian Academy of Sciences member Alexey Kupriyanov, the head of their Institute of World Economy and International Relations’ Center for Indo-Pacific Region, told Izvestia: “India is fully capable of resisting US pressure if the issue of purchasing Russian gas becomes critically important for it. Until that point, the Indians will continue to maintain a balance, seeking the solution that is most advantageous from both an economic and political standpoint.”
