Trump Repeats Claim: India to ‘Cut Back’ on Russian Oil Purchases

WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI – US President Donald Trump has reiterated his claim that India has agreed to reduce its imports of Russian crude oil, stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him of the move during a phone call on Tuesday.

Speaking at a White House Diwali celebration, Trump told reporters, “I spoke to Prime Minister Modi today, as I mentioned before. And we just have a very good relationship. And he’s not going to buy much oil from Russia.”

Trump suggested the decision was linked to India’s desire for peace in the Ukraine conflict. “He wants to see the war end with Russia-Ukraine… So they’ve cut it way back and they’re continuing to cut it way back.”

While Prime Minister Modi acknowledged Trump’s call and “warm greetings” on Diwali via a social media post, he made no mention of the Russian oil claim.

The Indian Foreign Ministry (MEA) official, who had previously stated the ministry was “not aware” of a similar claim by Trump last week, offered no new comment on the President’s latest remarks on Wednesday. New Delhi has consistently maintained that its oil procurement is driven solely by the need to secure affordable energy for its citizens, a position central to its policy of strategic autonomy.

The US has exerted significant diplomatic and financial pressure on India—one of Russia’s largest crude oil markets—to reduce its energy purchases, which Washington argues helps fund Russia’s war in Ukraine.

As part of this pressure, the US has already imposed a 50% tariff (including an additional 25% penalty for buying Russian oil) on Indian goods. However, the President’s latest comments, which scaled back previous claims of a complete “stop” to purchases, come as high-stakes trade negotiations between the two countries intensify.

A recent report in the Mint newspaper suggested that a bilateral trade deal—aimed at reducing US tariffs on Indian goods—could be announced soon, possibly contingent on India’s commitment to “gradually reduce its imports of Russian oil.”

An Indian government spokesperson confirmed last week that discussions were “ongoing” with the US administration, which had “shown interest in deepening energy co-operation with India.” This suggests a potential compromise where India agrees to diversify its energy sourcing, likely by increasing imports of US crude.

Since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022, India significantly ramped up its purchase of discounted Russian crude, which Western nations had largely shunned due to sanctions. This made Russia India’s single largest oil supplier, a move Delhi defended as vital for national energy security.