"India's Efforts to Secure Affordable Russian Oil Amid Tightening Sanctions" India’s state-owned refiners are expediting payments for Russian crude oil to complete transactions before expanded US sanctions take effect. These refiners now settle payments within two days instead of the usual five, aiming to secure discounted Russian oil while navigating an increasingly restricted global trade environment. The urgency stems from Washington's announcement of stricter sanctions targeting Russia’s oil industry, which are set to take effect next month. Refiners are keen to ensure transactions are completed during the “wind-down” period allowed for pre-sanctioned cargoes. At least 4.4 million barrels of Russian oil are en route to Indian ports like Jamnagar, Chennai, Paradip, and Visakhapatnam. Among these shipments is the tanker Mercury , carrying over 1 million barrels of Russian Urals crude, expected to arrive in Paradip soon. This vessel loaded its cargo in mid-December ...
Introduction: In a historic move, Turkey has officially ratified Sweden's NATO membership, marking a significant milestone in Sweden's journey to join the military alliance. This development comes after more than a year-and-a-half of delays and negotiations, positioning Sweden closer to the heart of global security cooperation. The Journey to NATO: Sweden, along with Finland, departed from its traditional stance of military nonalignment following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In April, Finland became NATO's 31st member after Turkey's parliament ratified its bid. Now, with Turkey's approval, Sweden inches closer to solidifying its position within the alliance. Turkish-Swedish Relations: The ratification process wasn't without its challenges. Turkey, having concerns about Sweden's perceived leniency towards groups it considers security threats, sought concessions from Stockholm. These included measures to counter Kurdish militants, which l...