Russian authorities have offered to provide India with additional energy supplies amid the widening West Asia conflict.The Strait of Hormuz closure and strikes against energy infrastructure in the Gulf countries have affected Indian supply chains and the government remains on high-alert.
According to a statement issued by the Russian Embassy in India, First Deputy Chairman Denis Manturov has reaffirmed that Russian companies have the capacity to steadily increase oil and liquefied natural gas supply to the country. He also noted that Moscow had boosted supplies of in-demand mineral fertilisers to India by 40 per cent by the end of 2025 — expressing readiness to continue meeting Indian requirements. Manturov added that a a joint project for urea (carbamide) production is currently under development and collaboration remains underway in the field of nuclear energy.
“Denis Manturov confirmed that Russian companies have the capacity to steadily increase supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas to the Indian market. Russia and India continue to strengthen their partnership in nuclear energy. In line with agreed schedules, the project to construct power units for the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is being implemented,” news agency ANI cited the statement as saying.
Jaishankar meets Manturov to boost strategic ties
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hosted Manturov in the national capital on Thursday to deliberate on the expanding dimensions of the India-Russia strategic partnership. The meeting served as a platform for an “in-depth conversation on our bilateral cooperation focusing on trade, industry, energy, fertilisers, connectivity, and mobility.”
Talks focused on traditional sectors, the widening West Asia conflict as well as future-oriented collaborations between the two countries. Jaishankar said India and Russia would work to identify “new opportunities in technology, innovation, and critical minerals.” The discussions also transcended bilateral ties to address broader geopolitical challeng,es — with the EAM noting they had “exchanged views on regional and global developments, including the conflict in West Asia.”
Ship carrying Iranian oil shifts course midway from India to China
The developments came even as a US-sanctioned tanker carrying Iranian crude oil rerouted mid-voyage from its previously indicated destination of India to China. New Delhi had turned to Iranian oil after the Donald Trump administration removed sanctions amid the war. This would have marked the first such shipment in nearly seven years
According to ship-tracking firm Kpler, the Aframax tanker Ping Shun is now signalling Dongying in China as its destination instead of Vadinar in Gujarat, which it had indicated earlier this week. There is no confirmation that the destination that the ship’s Automatic Identification System transponder – a tracking system mandated on most commercial vessels – is indicating is the final and it may not change at any time during the transit.