India does not subscribe to unilateral measures, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday following fresh sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russia. The new sanctions included an entity based in India.

“We are a responsible actor and remain fully committed to our legal obligations,” Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

Jaiswal said that New Delhi considers the provision of energy security “a responsibility of paramount importance to meet the basic needs of its citizens”.

“We would stress that there should be no double standards, especially when it comes to energy trade,” the ministry said.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, which triggered the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. The European Union, among others in the West, have imposed sanctions on Russian businesses and exports to force Moscow to negotiate a peace deal with Kyiv.

Earlier on Friday, the European Union announced its 18th package of sanctions that included measures mainly aimed at blocking the revenues of Russia’s energy sector.

The sanctions targeted Russian and foreign companies managing shadow shipping fleets, traders of Russian crude oil and a “major customer” of the shadow fleet.

The customer was a refinery in India with Russian state-owned energy company Rosneft as its main shareholder, said Kaja Kallas, the chairperson of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council.

The refinery in Gujarat’s Vadinar is that of Nayara Energy in which Rosneft has a major stake.

Also read: ‘Caution against double standards’: India on NATO chief’s warning of sanctions over Russia trade