Russian Oil Or Anything Else, Our Decision Where To Buy From: Nirmala Sitharaman | Exclusive

Last Updated:September 05, 2025, 16:19 IST

FM Nirmala Sitharaman to News18: "I may not be able to comment on a foreign head of state [calling India a dead economy]…It is the cynics and naysayers within India who worry me."

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said she was outraged at those justifying comments such as those made by Navarro. (File)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, said India will “undoubtedly be buying Russian oil".

“Whether its Russian oil or anything else, its our decision to buy from the place that suits our needs, whether in terms of rates or logistics. Where we buy our oil from, especially a big-ticket foreign exchange item where we pay so much, highest in terms of import, we will have to take a call on what suits us best. We will undoubtedly be buying," said Sitharaman.

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Reacting to remarks such as White House trade advisor Peter Navarro’s comments that India is “nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin", adding that “Brahmins are profiteering at the expense of the Indian people" or calling Ukraine-Russia war “Modi’s war", Sitharaman said, “It is one thing for foreign government to say something like that. The global diplomatic world is astonished and it will respond or deal with it. What hurts me more is when those expressions are justified in India. Who wants these explanations from Indians? Who wants us to know better? I’m outraged. I don’t want explanations to justify that. Indians quoting those words or colonial justification of the language used against Indians, who came out of those countries and stood up to build the country…. Aatmanirbhar is about self-respect…All of us in one voice should respond to it, instead of others talking like imperialists…"

When asked about the heartening GDP numbers at a time US President Donald Trump called India a “dead economy", the FM said: “I may not be able to comment on let’s say a foreign head of the state commenting on it…It is the cynics and naysayers within India who worry me. Assume a head of state has said it, as all of us together are building India, are we going to carry the tale of someone else’s observations and repeat them saying we knew it? India requires its citizens to be respected. They are toiling and struggling and working to build their families and wealth. At this time, we are trying to create more opportunities. Do we need naysayers to borrow such observations, be as it may it coming for a head of state. It is undermining not the government, the citizens’ efforts. A responsible opposition would not repeat such a statement."

Criticising India’s trade policies and its ties with Russia while announcing tariffs, Trump had dismissed concerns over India’s relationship with Moscow, stating, “I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care."

FM Nirmala Sitharaman Exclusive Interview Live Updates HERE

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had endorsed US President Donald Trump’s “dead economy" remark, saying that the Republican leader is right in saying that the Indian economy is “dead". He lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government and claimed that the BJP has finished the economy to benefit some people.

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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...

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