AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday, 23 May 2026, posed a direct public question on rising fuel prices across India, asking citizens whether the country should purchase discounted oil and gas from Russia and Iran, which he said are willing to supply at lower rates.

Context

In his post, Kejriwal wrote: 'पूरे देश में तेल-गैस के बढ़ते दामों और किल्लत से हाहाकार मचा हुआ है' ('There is an uproar across the country over rising fuel and gas prices and shortages'). He added that Russia and Iran are ready to supply oil at cheaper rates, and asked citizens: 'What is your opinion — should we buy cheap gas and oil from Russia and Iran?'

The post frames the question as a public consultation, inviting opinion rather than stating a policy demand. It comes against a backdrop of persistent consumer-level anxiety over fuel costs and their downstream effect on transport and household budgets.

Policy Backdrop

India is the world's third-largest oil importer, and its economy is acutely sensitive to crude price swings. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and subsequent Western sanctions, India sharply scaled up Russian crude purchases, with Russia accounting for over 40 per cent of India's crude imports by late 2023 — a shift successive governments framed as energy security rather than geopolitical alignment.

India had also imported Iranian crude under US sanctions waivers until 2019, after which volumes fell steeply when those waivers ended. Ties with Tehran have been maintained through other channels, including the Chabahar port project, leaving a framework for potential resumption of energy trade.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of cheaper imports would be Indian consumers, the transport sector, and oil marketing companies that absorb the gap between international crude costs and retail prices. Any sustained reduction in crude import costs could ease inflationary pressure on petrol, diesel, and cooking gas prices that directly affect household spending.

However, expanded purchases from Iran carry geopolitical risk, as US secondary sanctions remain a live constraint for Indian refiners and banks handling payments. Trade with Russia has continued at scale, though payment and shipping logistics have required ongoing workarounds.

What's Next

Kejriwal's post is likely to generate public debate and could feed into parliamentary questions on fuel pricing mechanisms and long-term energy purchase frameworks. Any formal government response on new bilateral energy agreements with Moscow or Tehran would be the clearest indicator of whether this public conversation translates into policy pressure.

With global crude markets remaining volatile, the question of diversifying and discounting India's energy import basket is expected to remain a central flashpoint in domestic political and economic debate through 2026.