India has never relied on permission from any country to purchase Russian crude, government sources said on Saturday. The country’s energy procurement decisions are guided solely by national interest, backed by robust reserves and diversified supply routes.The clarification follows international discussions on a recent US waiver allowing Indian refiners to continue buying Russian oil. Officials noted that such trade has proceeded consistently since the Russia-Ukraine war began. Claims that the waiver “enables” these purchases ignore the fact that India has imported Russian crude throughout the conflict.“India has never depended on permission from any country to buy Russian oil,” a senior government functionary said. Russia remained India’s largest crude supplier as recently as February 2026. Indian refiners ramped up purchases after 2022, drawn by discounted prices and the flexibility of domestic refineries to process diverse crude grades.Government sources stressed that India’s energy security rests on a policy framework crafted over the past decade. The country holds over 250 million barrels of crude oil and refined petroleum products—roughly 4,000 crore litres—providing a seven- to eight-week buffer across the supply chain.Officials dismissed claims that reserves would last only 25 days, calling them a misrepresentation of actual stocks and supplies. “This is a buffer, not a timer,” a source explained. Reserves are distributed across strategic caverns, storage tanks, pipeline systems, and cargoes in transit, with fresh imports arriving daily.India’s supply network has expanded markedly. Over the past decade, crude suppliers have grown from 27 to 40 countries across six continents. Only about 40 per cent of imports now pass through the Strait of Hormuz, reducing reliance on any single chokepoint.“India is not only energy secure but also a stabilising force in global energy markets,” sources said, pointing out that the country is the fifth-largest exporter of refined petroleum products and played a key role in supplying fuel to Europe after sanctions disrupted Russian crude flows.Domestic initiatives have also reduced import dependence. The government’s 20 per cent ethanol blending programme displaces roughly six million tonnes of crude oil annually, equivalent to about 44 million barrels, saving substantial foreign exchange while supporting farmers.Officials highlighted that fuel availability and price stability have remained strong despite global volatility. Not a single petrol pump has run dry in the past 12 years, they said, while petrol prices in India have remained broadly stable over the last four years — falling marginally by 0.67 per cent, with diesel rising by just 1.15 per cent.Sources said public sector oil companies absorbed losses running into tens of thousands of crores to shield consumers from global price shocks, underlining the government’s commitment to ensuring energy that is affordable, available and sustainable.