India on Friday pushed back firmly against the European Union’s latest sanctions package, which for the first time targets an Indian-based Rosneft-linked refinery. The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement stressing that India does not recognize unilateral sanctions and urged the EU to avoid “double standards” — especially in energy trade.
“We have noted the latest sanctions announced by the European Union,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. “India does not subscribe to any unilateral sanction measures. We are a responsible actor and remain fully committed to our legal obligations.”
The remarks came hours after EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas posted on X that the bloc had “designated a flag registry and the biggest Rosneft refinery in India” as part of new sanctions aimed at tightening pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine.
The refinery in question is Nayara Energy’s 20-million-tonne-per-year facility in Vadinar, Gujarat. Rosneft owns a 49.13% stake in Nayara, alongside a consortium of Russian-linked investment entities. The EU’s move effectively blocks Nayara from exporting refined products like petrol and diesel to European countries.
India emphasized its sovereign right to energy security, stating it is “a responsibility of paramount importance to meet the basic needs of its citizens.” The government underlined that discriminatory restrictions on energy trade would not be acceptable.
The EU’s 14th sanctions package includes tighter banking curbs, limits on shadow fleet shipping, and a lower oil price cap — designed to squeeze Russia’s war revenues. Ironically, the lower cap (currently $60 per barrel) may allow India, the second-largest buyer of Russian crude, to purchase oil at even cheaper rates.
