Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan lauded India’s foreign policy and said that Islamabad wanted to get cheap Russian crude oil like India, however, it was not able to do so as his government collapsed in a no-confidence motion, according to the news agency ANI.
Addressing the nation in a video message, he said, “We wanted to get cheap Russian crude oil just like India but that could not happen as unfortunately, my government fell due to a no-confidence motion.”
He lamented over the fact that crisis-hit Pakistan could also purchase Russian crude oil at a discounted rate that India enjoys despite the ongoing Ukraine war.
Interestingly, this was not the first time when Khan acknowledged India’s achievements in terms of growing its economy and purchasing Russian oil despite Western pressure.
In May 2022, Imran Khan hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to purchase cheap oil from Russia despite pressure from the United States.
India is the world’s third-largest oil-consuming and importing nation. It imports 85% of its crude oil needs. Ever since the war between Russia and Ukraine, the West and Europe imposed stringent sanctions on its energy. This resulted in Russia’s offering more discounts to its oldest ally, India.
Sanctions hit Russia signed an agreement with an Indian oil giant intending to boost the crude oil supply. According to the Russian news agency, TASS, Moscow’s top oil company Rosneft signed a deal with the Indian Oil Company to increase the supply of petroleum to India.
The deal, which has been in the making for months, could ease some of Pakistan’s fiscal trouble as the country, a net importer of energy, looked for ways to cut its oil import bill.
Talks have been ongoing between Pakistan and Russia since last year for the trade of oil which had remained a contentious issue in Pakistan’s politics, ANI reported.
Former prime minister Imran Khan had repeatedly claimed that his government was ousted for pursuing an “independent foreign policy,” which would have allowed the country to buy oil at a discounted price from Russia, just like India.
Source: Mint
