GOA /India/, February 8. /TASS/. India imports more and more oil from Russia thus, stabilizing the energy market, Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said in an interview with TASS.

"I think that it is in Russia’s interests to sell more to India. It is in India’s interests to buy more from Russia. Moreover, India buying more is in the global community’s interests as if you don’t buy from Russia the same companies will buy oil from Gulf countries, pushing the price up," he said on the sidelines of India Energy Week 2024.

"It is also in the interests of the West among other things. They (Western countries - TASS) should be happy that India imports [from Russia] and indeed helps stabilize the energy market," he said.

Russia more than doubled oil supplies in April-September 2023 to India, which is the world’s third-biggest importer and consumer of hydrocarbons. An average of 1.76 mln barrels per day were delivered to the South Asian republic from Russia in the reporting period, which is more than two times higher than in the same period last year.

The India Energy Week 2024 forum dedicated to energy security and the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is running in India’s Goa. Representatives of oil and gas sectors of dozens of countries participate in the event. Organizers expect at least 35,000 visitors. Specialized pavilions of six countries including Russia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States, work at the conference.