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German Chancellor Merz Dismisses Pressuring India Over Russian Energy
(MENAFN) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has dismissed the use of pressure to force India to cut its Russian energy purchases, stating during a Monday visit that diplomacy—not coercion—should guide efforts to address the contentious issue.
At a press briefing in Ahmedabad following discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Merz described their exchange as "really good" and "very open," noting they addressed the Ukraine conflict and India's Russian oil and gas procurement among multiple subjects.
The conservative leader explained Modi's rationale for maintaining energy links with Moscow. "He explained to me very extensively that India, as a country with 1.4 billion inhabitants that has few of its own energy resources, is dependent on Russian oil and gas imports," Merz stated. "My impression is that if they can reduce this dependence, they will do so."
When a journalist questioned whether Berlin had leveraged pressure on New Delhi regarding its Moscow energy relationship, Merz firmly rejected that strategy, underscoring Germany's commitment to deepening bilateral ties with India.
"You know, exerting pressure is not the right instrument to elevate a partnership to a new level We agree on the assessment of this war. At the same time, I have understood how dependent India has been and continues to be on Russian oil and gas deliveries in recent years and decades," Merz explained.
Merz acknowledged that Germany and the European Union confronted substantial obstacles when severing their Russian energy dependency after the Ukraine war erupted, yet ultimately succeeded in slashing it nearly to zero.
"It's obviously not that simple in India, and I'm the last person to visit other countries and point fingers. We talk to each other reasonably, and we try to find solutions," he remarked.
Since February 2022, when the Ukraine war began, India has dramatically expanded its Russian oil acquisitions, capitalizing on discounted prices as Western nations imposed sanctions and reduced their own Russian imports.
At a press briefing in Ahmedabad following discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Merz described their exchange as "really good" and "very open," noting they addressed the Ukraine conflict and India's Russian oil and gas procurement among multiple subjects.
The conservative leader explained Modi's rationale for maintaining energy links with Moscow. "He explained to me very extensively that India, as a country with 1.4 billion inhabitants that has few of its own energy resources, is dependent on Russian oil and gas imports," Merz stated. "My impression is that if they can reduce this dependence, they will do so."
When a journalist questioned whether Berlin had leveraged pressure on New Delhi regarding its Moscow energy relationship, Merz firmly rejected that strategy, underscoring Germany's commitment to deepening bilateral ties with India.
"You know, exerting pressure is not the right instrument to elevate a partnership to a new level We agree on the assessment of this war. At the same time, I have understood how dependent India has been and continues to be on Russian oil and gas deliveries in recent years and decades," Merz explained.
Merz acknowledged that Germany and the European Union confronted substantial obstacles when severing their Russian energy dependency after the Ukraine war erupted, yet ultimately succeeded in slashing it nearly to zero.
"It's obviously not that simple in India, and I'm the last person to visit other countries and point fingers. We talk to each other reasonably, and we try to find solutions," he remarked.
Since February 2022, when the Ukraine war began, India has dramatically expanded its Russian oil acquisitions, capitalizing on discounted prices as Western nations imposed sanctions and reduced their own Russian imports.
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