New York, Sept 25: United States Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday expressed admiration for India and highlighted Washington’s intent to expand energy cooperation with New Delhi across sectors including natural gas, coal, nuclear energy, and clean cooking fuels.
“I am a huge fan of India. We love India. We look forward to more energy trade, more interactions back and forth with India,” Wright said during a press briefing at the New York Foreign Press Centre.
Wright acknowledged India’s geopolitical challenges, particularly amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and discussed its impact on global energy trade. He noted that sanctioned Russian oil often reaches China, India, and Turkey, indirectly funding the war, and urged India to reconsider such imports.
Despite differences over Russian oil purchases, Wright affirmed the United States’ commitment to strengthening bilateral energy ties. “We want nothing more than more trade and energy cooperation with India…We do not intend to punish India but wish to help end the war and grow our relations,” he added.
Responding to queries on Russian oil, Wright emphasized that India chooses it for cost reasons, but highlighted the moral and geopolitical implications of the decision. “There are lots of oil exporters in the world. India doesn’t need to buy Russian oil…We wish India would work with us to buy oil from other nations,” he said.
The Energy Secretary’s remarks underscore Washington’s push for deeper collaboration with India while navigating the complex energy and geopolitical landscape shaped by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.