India today finds itself at the sharp edge of an international standoff that is as much about global power politics as it is about energy economics. The country’s reliance on imported oil is not a matter of choice but of necessity. With a population of 1.4 billion and a growing economy, ensuring affordable and stable energy supplies is a prerequisite for national stability. Against this backdrop, India’s willingness to continue sourcing crude from Russia despite heavy external pressure is a statement of strategic intent. The logic is straightforward.

Since the Ukraine conflict disrupted global energy flows, Russian crude has been offered at steep discounts. For a country like India, which imports more than 80 per cent of its oil, refusing such supplies would mean not only higher energy costs but also inflationary shocks cascading across its economy. The calculus here is not ideological but........

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