Arvind Kejriwal, leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi why India is not buying cheaper crude oil from Russia and Iran.

The challenge comes as India grapples with rising inflation and volatile energy costs. Kejriwal said the government's current procurement strategy is directly contributing to the financial burden on citizens.

The statement followed the fourth fuel-price hike in two weeks [2], which occurred in late May 2024 [2]. Kejriwal said the refusal to import lower-cost crude from these specific nations is keeping domestic fuel prices high and worsening the economic situation for the public.

"Why isn’t India buying cheap oil from Russia and Iran?" Kejriwal said during a public forum [1]. He said the current pricing trajectory is unsustainable for the average consumer.

Kejriwal linked the energy policy to broader economic distress across the country. He said 140 crore people are facing hardships due to rising inflation [3]. According to the AAP leader, the government has a viable alternative to lower costs by shifting its sourcing strategy.

"India should consider cheaper crude from Russia and Iran to ease the fuel price hike," Kejriwal said [3].

The Aam Aadmi Party has frequently criticized the central government's handling of the economy, specifically regarding the cost of essential commodities. By highlighting the availability of discounted oil, Kejriwal is positioning the fuel crisis as a policy failure rather than an inevitable result of global market trends.

“Why isn’t India buying cheap oil from Russia and Iran?”

This critique highlights the tension between India's strategic diplomatic alignments and its domestic economic needs. While importing oil from sanctioned or contested regions like Iran and Russia can lower costs, it often involves navigating complex international sanctions and geopolitical risks. Kejriwal is leveraging the immediate pain of fuel price hikes to pressure the Modi administration into prioritizing short-term consumer relief over long-term diplomatic caution.