In a candid acknowledgment of the geopolitical realities shaping global energy markets, US Senator Roger Marshall has admitted that India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil is “good for America right now” as Washington grapples with rising fuel prices and supply disruptions.Marshall’s remarks come amid an intensifying debate in the United States over a temporary policy shift “allowing” India to continue limited purchases of Russian oil to stabilise global markets during the ongoing West Asia crisis.His remarks underscore the contradiction for the US, which must balance strategic rivalries with Moscow with the practical need to keep global energy markets stable.The US recently allowed India a temporary waiver to purchase Russian oil that was already in transit at sea. The move was aimed at preventing disruptions in global supplies after tensions in West Asia threatened key shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.Officials in Washington have described the measure as a short-term step to ensure that oil continues to flow into global markets and avoid sharp price spikes that could ripple across economies.However, the decision has triggered political controversy in the US. Some lawmakers have criticised the waiver, arguing that allowing India to buy Russian oil could indirectly benefit Moscow at a time when the West was trying to isolate Russia over the Ukraine war.India, which has emerged as one of the largest buyers of discounted Russian crude since the start of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, maintains that its energy purchases were driven purely by national interest and the need to ensure affordable supplies for its growing economy.New Delhi has repeatedly asserted that it would continue to procure oil from the most competitive sources available and that its energy security decisions were independent of external pressure.Energy analysts say the current situation highlights the complex balance between geopolitics and market realities, with even critics of Russian oil purchase acknowledging that removing large volumes of crude from the market could trigger a global price shock.