Modi pitches for protecting India’s energy security at G20 Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for protecting India’s energy security at the G20 Summit in Bali on Tuesday, amidst growing calls from Western countries to cap the price of Russian oil, and stressed that there should not be any restrictions on the supply of energy.

Modi also met with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the summit and reviewed the deepening of the India-US partnership in sectors such as critical and emerging technologies.

Modi is scheduled to hold bilaterals with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday, a source tracking the matter told businessline.

“The bilaterals are important as it is an opportunity for India to not only review bilateral relations with its key partners but also make its priorities clear on the Russia-Ukraine war,” another source said.

Modi exchanged greetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the official dinner on Tuesday, but there are no confirmations of a bilateral meeting yet.

There are negotiations going on at the G20 on the language to be used in condemning the Russia-Ukraine war in the joint communique to be issued on Wednesday.

“I have repeatedly said that we have to find a way to return to the path of ceasefire and diplomacy in Ukraine,” Modi said in his address, sticking to India’s stated position of criticising the war without apportioning blame to Russia. Modi was speaking on food and energy security.

Modi, however, did not mince words on the need to protect India’s energy security, indicating that its decision to buy oil from Russia would be determined by its needs. ”India’s energy security is also important for global growth, as it is the world’s fastest-growing economy. We must not promote any restrictions on the supply of energy, and stability in the energy market should be ensured,” he said.