India Criticizes Western "Double Standards"

(MENAFN) During a speech at the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held alongside the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar openly criticized what he described as the “double standards” displayed by Western nations regarding the energy, food, and fertilizer demands of countries in the Global South.

He highlighted that global conflicts have been causing significant disruptions in the supply of essential resources and pushing up their prices.

Jaishankar emphasized that these crises are not only interrupting the flow of resources but also making access and affordability major challenges for many nations.

“Apart from jeopardizing supplies and logistics, access and costs themselves became pressure points on nations,” he noted. “Double standards are clearly in evidence.”

He pointed out that ongoing conflicts, particularly in Gaza and Ukraine, have caused substantial increases in the cost of energy and other commodities.

This surge has disproportionately affected countries in the Global South, worsening their economic difficulties.

Further criticizing the West, Jaishankar mentioned the growing scrutiny towards countries maintaining commercial relationships with Moscow.

This includes India, which is the world’s second-largest buyer of Russian crude oil.

He cautioned against turning energy trade into a political issue, especially during what he called an “economically fragile situation,” warning that this kind of pressure benefits no one.

“Peace can enable development, but by threatening development, we cannot facilitate peace,” Jaishankar concluded, reinforcing the idea that true global cooperation requires fairness, not selective treatment.

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