India, Feb. 6 -- India on Thursday made it clear that its energy policy will continue to be guided by national interest and market realities, after US President Donald Trump claimed that New Delhi could cut back on Russian crude oil purchases and turn instead to suppliers such as the United States and Venezuela.

Responding to queries on the remarks, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said ensuring uninterrupted energy supplies for India's population of 1.4 billion remains the Government's overriding concern, and that decisions on oil sourcing are taken independently, based on evolving global conditions.

"The Government has stated on several occasions that ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indians is the ...