US eyes more cuts in Indian imports of Iranian oil

May 7, 2012

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Kolkata, May 7: India: Hoping to wean India from Iranian oil imports, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is urging Indian leaders to explore alternative suppliers as she opens a three-day visit to the energy-starved South Asian giant that will also focus on regional security and easing trade restrictions.

Clinton arrived in the eastern city of Kolkata — the first secretary of state to visit the former colonial capital of 14 million — on Sunday after visits to China and Bangladesh as officials traveling with her said the Iranian oil imports would top an agenda that includes India’s relations with nuclear rival Pakistan and the future of Afghanistan.

India has huge energy needs to fuel its rapid growth and has made some progress in easing its dependence on Iranian oil. But a senior US official said the United States wants to see more.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to preview Clinton’s private discussions in Kolkata and New Delhi, said the “trend lines are good” but “we really need to receive assurances that they are going to continue to make good progress.”

Like other major consumers of Iranian oil, India could face US sanctions by the end of June if the Obama administration determines it has not made significant cuts in imports under a law aimed at squeezing Iran’s petroleum industry to press the country to comply with international demands over its nuclear program.

A dozen European nations and Japan have already been spared from those sanctions after the administration determined they had substantially reduced their Iranian oil imports. India, along with China, South Korea, Turkey and South Africa, has still not received such waivers.

India imports around 70 percent of its oil, and about 9 percent of the imports are from Iran. The US official said India had recently stepped up imports of oil from Saudi Arabia to make up for the reduction in Iranian oil and that the US was eager to see the Indians explore other alternatives. Iran is India’s second-largest crude oil supplier after Saudi Arabia and according to media reports imports 550,000 barrels a day.

India has been pushing its oil companies to cut back their crude imports from Iran and an Indian official, speaking on condition of anonymity per custom, said the government is willing to discuss the matter. The official expressed hope India will be exempted from the sanctions.

“We believe we have a strong case, which we will put forth,” the official said.

India and Iran reached a deal earlier this year that would allow India to pay for about 45 percent its Iranian oil purchases in rupees. Iran would then use the Indian currency to buy goods from India.

International economic sanctions on Iran had made oil trade difficult, because Indian oil importers had to scramble to find banks willing to handle transactions with Tehran. The barter exchange would help India pay for the Iranian crude without resorting to dollar payments, thus bypassing international banks.

An Indian delegation visited Iran in March to promote Indian goods including machinery, iron, steel, minerals and automobiles and Clinton’s visit coincides with that of a large Iranian group that will be in New Delhi to explore Indian goods and services Tehran can buy to offset the enormous rupee payments running into billions of dollars that Iran has accumulated.

The US official downplayed the presence of the Iranian delegation, saying. “I don’t think we are too concerned about it.” The official added that the US special envoy for global energy issues, Carlos Pasqual, will visit India later in May to follow up on Clinton’s talks, the official said.

In her talks with Indian officials, Clinton will also be pressing for the country to continue economic reforms and trade liberalization, including dropping restrictions on foreign investment in the finance sector and allowing large western retailers to open up, the US official said.

Before heading to New Delhi on Monday, Clinton will meet in Kolkata with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the top elected leader of West Bengal state. Banerjee, a key partner of India’s ruling coalition, has in recent months opposed many of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led Congress party’s plans to carry out economic reforms.

Clinton is expected to push for expanding US investment opportunities in West Bengal and seek Banerjee’s views on the entry of WalMart-type multi-brand retailers into India. Banerjee has been a vocal opponent of opening up India’s retail sector saying it would harm poor shop owners.

In talks with Singh in New Delhi, Clinton will look at regional security issues and the India-US Strategic Dialogue meeting scheduled to be held in Washington next month. India’s major concern, however, is the security situation in Afghanistan following the drawdown of NATO troops from the war-torn country in 2014. India has been taking a lead in the reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and plans to host a regional investors’ conference on Afghanistan in June.

The US will also be looking at trade and investment opportunities in India. With its economy expected to grow at around 7 percent over the next few years, India is an important market for US exports. Trade between the two countries is expected to cross $100 billion this year.

However, some of the sheen has worn off the high expectations from US-India relations in the years following the signing of a landmark civil nuclear deal in 2008. Washington was riled when India chose a French company for an $11 billion order for 126 fighter jets for the Indian air force. India has sourced numerous other big ticket defense purchases from US companies.

There is also a growing perception in Washington that the Indian government has not delivered on economic reforms and has been dragging its feet on implementing key nuclear legislation that would enable US companies to invest in India.

Over the past year, Singh’s government has been bogged down by a series of scandals and resistance from its coalition partners that have brought economic reforms to a halt.

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News Network
November 15,2024

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Union minister Amit Shah on Friday, November 15, said PM Narendra Modi will amend the Waqf Act despite opposition from leaders like Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar.

"Modi ji wants to change the Waqf Board law, but Uddhav ji, Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule are opposing it," Shah said, addressing a rally at Umarkhed in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district.

"Uddhav ji, listen carefully, you all can protest as much as you want, but Modi ji will amend the Waqf Act," he said. Shah said there are two camps in the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls, one of 'Pandavas' represented by the BJP-led Mahayuti and the other of 'Kauravas' represented by Maha Vikas Aghadi.

"Uddhav Thackeray claims that his Shiv Sena is the real one. Can the real Shiv Sena go against renaming Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar? Can the real Shiv Sena go against renaming Ahmednagar to Ahilyanagar? The real Shiv Sena stands with the BJP," Shah said.

"Rahul Baba used to say that his government would credit money in the accounts of the people instantly. You were unable to fulfil your promises in Himachal, Karnataka, and Telangana," he said.

Shah said the Mahayuti alliance has promised that women will get Rs 2,100 per month under the Ladki Bahin Yojana. "Kashmir is an integral part of India and no power in the world can snatch it away from us," Shah said.

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News Network
November 11,2024

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The Manipur Kuki MLAs have released a statement calling out Solicitor General Tushar Mehta's 'lies' in the Supreme Court. In a joint statement, the MLAs, including those from the Bharatiya Janata Party, said they had not had any meeting with the Chief Minister since May 3, 2023, nor did they intend to meet him in the future as “he was the mastermind behind the violence”.

As per the MLAs, the SG lied about state CM N Biren Singh speaking to Kuki MLAs to control the situation there, in order to halt a Supreme Court probe into the leaked tapes which allege that Singh has been complicit in the violence that broke out between Kukis and Meitis there.

"We...clarify that we have never had any meeting with Chief Minister, Shri N. Biren Singh since May 3, 2023, nor have any intention to meet him in future as he is the mastermind behind the violence and ethnic cleansing of our people from the Imphal valley, which is continuing till today, the latest being the brutal killing and burning of Mrs Zosangkim Hmar on November 7, 2024," the letter read, while condemning the recent 'barbaric' killing of the woman there, and noting the SG's assertion is 'tantamount' to misleading the top court.

“We, the undersigned ten MLAs, have come to know that during the Supreme Court hearing held on November 8, 2024, the Solicitor General of India submitted that ‘CM is meeting all Kuki MLAs and trying to bring the situation down to get peace’. In this connection, we hereby categorically state that this submission is a blatant lie and tantamount to misleading the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,” the statement said.

The Supreme Court, while hearing a petition by a Kuki organisation, asked that it submit audio tapes to substantiate its claim that the Chief Minister was instrumental in inciting and organising violence in the northeastern State.

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta orally informed the court that the Chief Minister was meeting all the Kuki-Zo MLAs and that peace in the State had come at a huge cost.

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News Network
November 21,2024

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Shares of Adani Group companies lost about $28 billion in market value in morning trade on Thursday after US prosecutors charged the billionaire chairman of the Indian conglomerate in an alleged bribery and fraud scheme.

Gautam Adani's flagship company Adani Enterprises tumbled 23 per cent, while Adani Ports, Adani Total Gas, Adani Green, Adani Power, Adani Wilmar and Adani Energy Solutions, ACC , Ambuja Cements and NDTV fell between 20 per cent and 90 per cent.

Adani group's 10 listed stocks had a total market capitalisation of about $141 billion at 0534 GMT, compared to $169.08 billion on Tuesday.

US authorities said Adani and seven other defendants, including his nephew Sagar Adani, agreed to pay about $265 million in bribes to Indian government officials to obtain contracts expected to yield $2 billion of profit over 20 years, and develop India's largest solar power plant project.

Adani Green in a statement on Thursday said the US Justice Department had issued a criminal indictment against board members Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani and the Securities and Exchange Commission had issued a civil complaint against them.

The US Justice Department also included Adani Green board member Vneet Jaain in the criminal indictment, it said.

Adani Green's units had decided not to proceed with the proposed US dollar denominated bond offerings due to developments, it added.

"Investors will shy away from Adani Group stocks ... and that's what this sharp selling is signifying," said Saurabh Jain, assistant vice president of retail equities research at SMC Global Securities.

"This could hurt the credibility of the group and maybe borrowing costs will rise," he said.

The indictment comes nearly two years after US shortseller Hindenburg Research alleged that Adani had improperly used tax havens and was involved in stock manipulation, allegations the conglomerate denied.

Also in early Asian trading on Thursday, Adani dollar bonds slumped, with prices down 3c-5c on bonds for Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone. The falls were the largest since the Adani Group came under a short-seller attack in February 2023.

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