India’s Foreign Ministry said its continued purchases of Russian crude are intended to keep domestic energy prices predictable and affordable, underscoring that the trade serves consumer welfare rather than geopolitical aims. New Delhi has become one of Moscow’s largest oil customers since the G7 imposed a $60-a-barrel price cap in late 2022, buying tens of billions of dollars worth of discounted cargoes. Analysts say the arrangement has bolstered profit margins for Indian refiners while limiting Russia’s revenue—an outcome broadly envisioned by the price-cap framework. The ministry’s statement follows periodic criticism that India is exploiting a loophole in Western sanctions. Officials counter that the imports cushion Indian households and industry from global price volatility at a time when energy costs remain a major inflation risk.