US Consulate tells Mumbai Port to block Russian ships; India gives scathing response

India on Wednesday took objection to the “suggestion” by the US consulate to block Russian ships at the Mumbai port and asserted that "it is New Delhi’s sovereign right to deal with global partners in the national interest."

Attempting to discourage India from importing cheap crude oil and other goods from Russia, US Consulate General in Mumbai wrote a direct letter to the city's port authority, asking it to not allow Russian vessels to dock at the port due to American sanctions against Russia.

The Mumbai Port Authority in turn wrote to the Directorate General of Shipping, which sought the intervention of the Ministry of External Affairs. According to reports, the MEA stated that it is India’s sovereign decision to engage with countries in national interests and that it will not deny permission to ships from any particular country from entering its ports.

Reacting to the US Consulate's suggestion to the Mumbai port, Derek J Grossman from the RAND Corporation tweeted, “Seems Biden admin has shifted tactics when pressuring India. Instead of speaking directly to New Delhi, the US consulate in Mumbai writes a letter to Mumbai Port Authority to bar Russian ships. Of course, New Delhi found out. Silly move by the US.”

India growing market for shunned Russian oil

In the wake of the war in Ukraine, the US and its allies have imposed strict economic sanctions on Russia, but this has not deterred India from trading with the country. Cargo vessels carrying crude oil and other commodities from Russia continue to enter the Indian ports.

Marred by Western sanctions, Russia has been offering big discounts on its energy exports, which prompted India to buy more from the country. In the month of May, Russian oil arrivals in India stood at 740,000 barrels a day, up from 284,000 barrels in April and 34,000 barrels a year earlier.

Recently, a Bloomberg report said India is looking at purchasing more low-cost Russian oil from Rosneft PJS, the deals for which have already been made. 

In only three months after the war, India and China bought oil, gas, and coal worth $24 billion from Russia. Out of this, India spent $5.1 billion on Russian oil, gas, and coal, which is more than five times the value of 2021.