'Look at EU council regulations': Jaishankar on import of Russian crude by India

NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar has responded to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell's call for action against Indian refined products from Russian crude. Jaishankar on Tuesday advised Borrell to refer to EU Council regulations, specifically Regulation 833/2014, which recognizes that Russian crude undergoes substantial transformation in a third country and is no longer treated as Russian.
Ahead of his meeting with Jaishankar, European Union’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell has called for a crackdown on India for skirting western sanctions against Moscow by 'reselling' Russian oil as refined fuels to Europe.
“If diesel or gasoline is entering Europe. . . coming from India and being produced with Russian oil, that is a circumvention of sanctions and member states have to take measures,” Financial Times quoted Borrell as saying.

But EAM Jaishankar dismissed the issue during a press conference when asked about the comments.
"I really don't see the basis for your question. Because my understanding of the council regulations is that if Russian crude is substantially transformed in a third country, then it's not treated as Russian anymore," Jaishankar said on Tuesday.

While Borrell met with Jaishankar at the trade technology talks in Brussels, he was not present at the press conference that followed. In his place, EU executive VP on competition, Margrethe Vestager said that there was "no doubt about the legal basis of the sanctions", and that the EU and India would have the discussion as "friends... with an extended hand and of course, not a pointed finger."
In addition to Jaishankar, commerce minister Piyush Goyal and Union minister of state for entrepreneurship, skill development, electronics, and technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar were present in the meeting.

India has emerged in the past year as a top buyer of Russian oil following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Access to cheap Russian crude has boosted output and profits at Indian refineries, enabling them to export refined products competitively to Europe and take a bigger market share.
EU, India vow to boost trade ties despite differences
The EU and India vowed on Tuesday to boost trade ties and tackle thorny issues through dialogue, after they risked overshadowing a significant meeting between the two sides in Brussels.
The European Union held its first-ever trade and technology council with Indian foreign, trade and communications ministers as they seek to bolster ties.
The EU is India's third-largest trading partner with trade in goods worth around $95 billion, and last year the two sides restarted talks for a free trade agreement.
(With inputs from agencies)
Watch EAM Jaishankar responds to EU's Concerns on import of Russian crude by India, cites EU council regulations