India snubs gas purchases from Russia’s sanctioned project

India will not buy liquefied natural gas produced within Russia's Arctic LNG 2 project, which has been sanctioned by Western democracies.

That’s according to the country’s Oil Secretary Pankaj Jain, Ukrinform reports citing Reuters.

"We will not buy (supply from) Arctic LNG 2. We are not buying any sanctioned commodity. Something which has broad-based sanctions, we are not touching it," Jain said Friday.

It is noted that the project run by Russia's Novatek is subject to international sanctions over the war of aggression Russia is waging against Ukraine.

The U.S. slapped sanctions on hundreds of entities and individuals for supporting Russia's war, including companies backing the development of Arctic LNG 2 project and its LNG shipments.

Read also: India has no plan to end war but is in talks with Kyiv and Moscow – foreign minister

Novatek claimed that media reports regarding the its role in setting up and managing the "dark fleet" for the Arctic LNG 2 project are not true.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the UK imposed new sanctions against five vessels and two shipping entities involved in the Russian liquefied natural gas sector.