India, March 13 -- US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has described India's continued purchases of Russian oil as "inevitable", saying the decision to grant a temporary 30-day waiver to Indian refiners was driven by urgent supply needs amid energy disruption triggered by the West Asia conflict.

In an interview with Sky News journalist Wilfred Frost, Bessent said that the US administration allowed a 30-day waiver for Indian refiners who had earlier been prevented from buying Russian oil.

Explaining the decision, Bessent said the waiver was necessary because Russian oil shipments were already in transit. "Well, I think it's an inevitability and that's why we gave a 30-day waiver-because the Russian barrels are on the water and it is a qu...