India leans towards continued import of Russian coking coal -minister

India is leaning towards persevering with to import coking coal from Russia, the metal minister mentioned on Sunday, seeming to buck a worldwide pattern to shun Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

“We’re transferring within the route of importing coking coal from Russia,” Ramchandra Prasad Singh instructed a convention in New Delhi.

Western nations and Japan have slapped unexpectedly heavy sanctions on the federal government of President Vladimir Putin and other people related to him. India, a serious purchaser of Russian items from commodities to weapons, has abstained from a number of key United Nations votes condemning the Feb. 24 invasion.

“Easy provides” from Russia of coking coal, a key ingredient in making metal, have been affected, Singh mentioned, in an obvious reference to the struggle. He didn’t elaborate. (Enhancing by Rupam Jain, William Mallard)