'US understands India has to buy oil from Russia,' says Fareed Zakaria days ahead of PM Modi’s Washington visit

Days ahead of PM Narendra Modi's state visit to US, Indian-American journalist Fareed Zakaria said that the US policymakers understand India’s position on buying Russian oil amid the war in Ukraine.

In an interview with Rahul Kanwal, Executive Director, India Today, Zakaria also said that the whole nature and design of the sanctions against Russia are designed to allow it to sell its oil just at a reduced price, so that Russia's revenue gets depressed.

“They (US) just want it (oil) to flow in a way that minimises revenue to Putin,” said Zakaria.

“That’s what they (US) have achieved through the price gap, which forces Russia to sell oil to India at a discount, which is good for India and is good for US,” he added.

He claimed that if Russian oil is taken out of the market, oil would go to $200 per barrel because there would be that much reduction of supply.

He also expressed his concern on India being hung up with the non-aligned past and some of the historical relationship with Russia. He also said that Russians haven’t delivered much for the Indians.

“Indians would be much more comfortable with a close relationship with America than a close relationship with Russia or China,” Zakaria said.

He explained that if you walk around in India, it is America that people look up to. Indian businesses want to conduct business with Americans, Indian students want to study at American universities, Indian NGOs look at America as a standard on how they should operate.

“There’s always been a civilisational attraction between India and the US,” he said. “There have always been this idea of world’s most powerful democracy (US) and world’s biggest democracy (India), having a kind of natural alliance.”

Talking about Narendra Modi, Zakaria highlighted the commendable job done by the government for the Indian economy.

“They have managed things better. There’s just better management, less corruption, less drift in some ways,” Zakaria told India Today. “Infrastructure story is remarkable and government deserves a lot of credit for it.”

When asked about the effusive personal relationship that PM Modi shared with former US President Donald Trump against the relationship that he shares with current President Joe Biden, Zakaria said that Modi is very good at establishing relationships with the leaders whom he needs to do business with.

“I doubt very much that he (Modi) had any warm feelings towards Trump. He was very good with Obama as well. Biden knows Modi and Modi knows Biden, so I suspect it will be quite good.”

He also shared his views on how the popularity of PM Modi attracts world leaders towards him, specially the democratic politicians.

“Democratic politicians are always impressed by someone like Modi who can bring these kinds of crowds together in the US or say Australia recently. Trump found that fascinating, Biden will find that fascinating and Modi’s smart, he uses that to his advantage.” Zakaria explained.

Modi has been invited by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for an official state visit.

The historic visit, among other things, would include an impressive welcome ceremony on the South Lawns on June 22, which later in the night would also become the venue for the State Dinner that would be extraordinarily glittery.

The Prime Minister is expected to arrive in Washington DC from New York on June 21 after attending the International Yoga Day celebrations at the United Nations headquarters.