<h1>Strategic autonomy underscores India's independent oil procurement despite allegations of profiteering from discounted Russian crude.</h1> Strategic autonomy in energy procurement underpins India's purchase of discounted Russian crude, defended as a sovereign policy to stabilise markets and not a profiteering scheme. The minister cited prior US acknowledgement of ongoing oil trade and the G7 price cap as indicating lawful trading space, and challenged unequal scrutiny by comparing India's trade with larger Russia-EU and China import flows, framing allegations of funding conflict as requiring even-handed international application.