Washington, Feb 12 (NationPress) The United States has asserted that India is decreasing its acquisition of Russian oil and is actively diversifying its energy sources, as lawmakers questioned the State Department regarding the challenges of enforcing sanctions related to Moscow's ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

During a House subcommittee meeting focused on South and Central Asia on Wednesday (local time), Republican Representative Keith Self expressed concerns that ongoing Russian oil transactions are financially supporting the war.

"The sale of Russian oil continues to finance the Ukraine war," Self stated, inquiring how Washington intends to ensure compliance if India commits to reducing its imports.

"Does that include third-party traders, blended cargo, ship-to-ship, ghost ships?" he questioned, alluding to methods used to disguise the origins of energy supplies.

Paul Kapur, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, noted that enforcement challenges would be outside his bureau's purview, though he recognized the larger issue at hand.

"I don't possess the specifics of how this will be addressed. I'm eager to maintain communication with you about it," Kapur remarked.

Nevertheless, he highlighted the noticeable shift in India's energy procurement strategy.

"India has been reducing its purchases of Russian oil and diversifying its options, which aligns with our objectives," Kapur noted.

"They've indeed been increasing their purchases of US energy," he added.

Kapur proposed that substituting US energy supplies could present a positive avenue moving forward.

"I believe a promising opportunity lies in replacing some Russian energy with US energy, along with sourcing from other global suppliers as well," he stated.

Self contended that the complexities of enforcement could weaken the effectiveness of sanctions.

"We have credible reports … indicating that Russia sold energy to India, which was subsequently exported to Europe," he warned, cautioning that indirect trade could undermine Western attempts to limit Moscow's revenue streams.

This dialogue highlighted the sensitive nature of US-India relations, as Washington aims to bolster trade and defense collaboration while encouraging New Delhi to reduce its dependence on discounted Russian oil. However, India has yet to offer any formal statements regarding this matter.

Historically, India has upheld a stance of strategic autonomy in its foreign policy and energy procurement, despite strengthening ties with Washington through the Quad and various Indo-Pacific initiatives.

Kapur refrained from providing specific figures but framed India's diversification as consistent with US goals.

This situation underscores the broader geopolitical dynamics influencing US engagement in South Asia—strengthening alliances with India while navigating the global implications of the Ukraine crisis and the enforcement of sanctions.

Since the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western nations have imposed extensive sanctions on Moscow's energy exports.

In the early stages of the conflict, India ramped up its purchases of discounted Russian crude, citing energy security concerns, but has faced ongoing diplomatic pressure from the United States and European allies to diversify its energy sources.