WASHINGTON / NEW DELHI: United States President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated his claim that India will no longer purchase Russian oil, during a bilateral lunch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, sparking diplomatic clarifications from New Delhi.
Trump stated, “Well, India is not going to be buying Russian oil anymore,” repeating a claim he made earlier while interacting with reporters at the White House on Wednesday. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that India would halt Russian oil imports.
“I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big stop,” Trump said.
India reiterates consumer-first energy policy
In response, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasised that India’s energy imports are guided entirely by the objective of safeguarding domestic consumer interests amid global market volatility.
A statement by the MEA noted: “India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective.”
The ministry highlighted India’s “twin energy goals”: ensuring stable energy prices and securing reliable supply, and clarified that no new policy changes had been made in response to Trump’s remarks.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also said he was unaware of any phone call between Modi and Trump on Wednesday, contradicting the US President’s claim of a conversation between the two leaders.
Trade tensions and tariffs
The remarks come amid ongoing US-India trade tensions, with Trump having previously imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, including an additional 25 per cent duty, citing India’s purchase of Russian oil. Analysts note that India has maintained a balanced energy strategy, sourcing from multiple countries to ensure domestic stability while avoiding overreliance on any single supplier.
India remains one of the largest energy importers globally, and officials emphasised that any import decisions are taken solely to protect consumers and manage price volatility, rather than to respond to foreign pressure.
The comments have drawn attention internationally, given the geopolitical sensitivities surrounding Russian oil and ongoing energy market fluctuations.