Goa, July 28 -- Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, delivered a firm response to Western criticism over India's continued oil imports from Russia, asserting that "a country can't just switch off its economy." In an interview with Times Radio last week, Doraiswami called out the double standards of Western nations, noting that many of India's European partners continue to buy rare earth materials and energy products from countries they expect India to boycott.

"Don't you think that seems a little odd?" he asked pointedly.

India, the world's third-largest oil importer, traditionally relied on the Middle East for crude. However, after Russia began offering deep discounts in the wake of Western sanctions over its invasion...