Economists warn this could push inflation up, hurt the rupee, and widen our current account deficit. Here’s why: Russia sells India oil at a discount. Drop that, and we pay global prices; which are way higher. One economist even says inflation could tick up by 0.3%. If the govt doesn’t raise petrol/diesel prices, we might dodge that; but someone’s still paying. Also, don’t forget: US might slap tariffs on buyers of Russian oil; including India; but those aren’t active yet, and exemptions are possible. So while we negotiate trade deals, we can’t afford to ignore energy realities. The quiet truth? India’s economy runs on cheap Russian oil; and changing that carries bigger risks than most realise.