In the aftermath of the recent visit of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and an indication of rising U.S. pressure not to deal with Iran working, the Central Government, on Tuesday, admitted that it had cut the crude oil supplies from Iran by 11 per cent to 15.5 million tonnes this fiscal.
“Total crude oil imported from Iran by Indian companies during 2010-11 and 2011-12 is 18.50 million tonnes and 17.44 million tonnes, respectively. The target fixed for import of crude oil from Iran for 2012-13 is about 15.5 million tonnes,'' Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas R. P. N. Singh said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
India has been under tremendous U.S. pressure to curtail sourcing of crude oil from Iran following sanctions imposed by it and the European Union. However, India had stated that it was not bound by bloc sanctions and it would only go by UN backed sanctions. Mr. Singh said the quantum of crude oil imported by Indian refineries from various sources is decided by them on the basis of technical, commercial and other considerations. “To reduce its dependence on any particular region of the world, India has been consciously trying to diversify its sources of crude oil imports to strengthen the country's energy security,'' he said.
Diversifying sourcing
In fact, a recent strategy paper by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry had called for diversifying the sourcing of crude oil from the traditional countries to new sources, which was an indication of the changing equations and attempts by India not to annoy the U.S. on the issue. During her visit to India last week, Ms. Clinton had stressed on the need for India to further reduce crude oil imports from Iran to win waiver from U.S. sanctions.
External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna, in reply, had said Iran was a key country for India's energy needs. India had not publicly said it was aiming to cut back oil imports from Iran but was understood to have unofficially conveyed to refiners and importers to prune shipments from Tehran.
India learn to behave like an independent country instead of being dictated to by the west. Before Anastasio Samoza of Nicaragua was assassinated CBC reporter asked Samoza, " If the American President asks you to step down will you step down from power " to which Samoza replied, " If the American President will step down if I ask him to step down I would step down if the American President asks me to do so. " When countries such as Vietnam can fight against big countries to maintain their sovereignity India has no guts. This is because Indians want an easy life. They do not want to sacrifice or reduce their comfort to maintain a principle.
A very shocking news because India once again shows that he still want
to rely on someone else decision.The point is that how someone else can
decide to whom we should have to build business relationship.Iran agreed
to provide crude oil to India in Indian currency.The Tehran crude oil
deal could be prosperous for India and at some how it will go to reduce
the oil inflation.Now India show his willingness and ready to import gas
from USA in US currency.If we want to emerge like a superb nation and
well developed in all aspect then we at least take our own decision.
Who is controlled by the USA ruling class and MNCs- PM or the
protesters fighting for safety from the Koodankulam Nuclear Plant? PM
was accusing the NGOS supporting the protesters against Koodankulam Nuclear Plants being helped by the Amercan NGOs. But GOI was not able to prove that the Protesters are helped by the American NGos.India is not free to dcecide from where they should buy crude oil? The USA ruling class and MNCs decide for India? Have we lost all our freedom? The PM has lost all balances.
Finally a responsible move by India! We might win short-term prestige
for standing with Tehran, but in the long term it will be the US who
will give us the props we need to emerge a leading world power. And we
are by now enough of a force by ourselves that the US cannot substantially harm our interests.
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