India terms Saudi response to call for more oil supplies 'undiplomatic'
- "I politely disagree with that kind of statement. Certainly India has its own strategy, when and how to use our own storage, and we are conscious about our interests," Pradhan said at an event.
- He has blamed Saudi Arabia's voluntary production cuts for contributing to a spike in global oil prices.
NEW DELHI: Indian oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday dismissed his Saudi counterpart's advice to reduce oil stores to tackle high crude prices, describing the comment as "undiplomatic."
"I politely disagree with that kind of statement. Certainly India has its own strategy, when and how to use our own storage, and we are conscious about our interests," Pradhan said at an event.
Hit hard by rising oil prices, Pradhan has repeatedly called on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, known as OPEC+, to ease supply curbs.
He has blamed Saudi Arabia's voluntary production cuts for contributing to a spike in global oil prices.
OPEC+ decided this month to extend most cuts into April.
Responding to Pradhan's request, Saudi energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman suggested India dip into strategic reserves filled with cheaper oil bought last year.
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