Russia claims it is shielding India from energy fallout of Iran conflict

Russia has said its energy relationship with India has helped the country significantly mitigate the economic impact of the conflict involving Iran and the wider disruption it has caused to global energy trade, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko.

Rudenko's remarks come amid calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for countries to halt energy trade with Moscow, a position that Russia appears eager to counter by emphasising the practical benefits it says it provides to major partner nations such as India.

New Delhi and Moscow have maintained close energy ties, and Russia has positioned itself as a stabilising force for India's energy security at a time of significant volatility in global oil and gas markets.