US President Donald Trump on Monday repeated his assertion that India won't be doing oil trade with Russia anymore, reiterating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told him that he "is not going to be doing the Russian oil thing". He also warned of massive tariffs if India did not halt its Russian oil imports.
"I spoke with Prime Minister Modi of India, and he said he's not going to be doing the Russian oil thing," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. This is the third time this week that Trump has made this claim.
On being asked about his reaction to New Delhi denying his claim of a phone call with PM Modi regarding India's Russian oil purchase, Trump replied by issuing a tariff warning.
"But if they want to say that, then they'll just continue to pay massive tariffs, and they don't want to do that,” the US President said, as reported news agency Reuters.
Trump Claims India To Halt Russian Oil Imports
Trump claimed that PM Modi assured him India would halt oil imports from Russia, a statement that New Delhi later denied. He made the remark during an Oval Office address on Wednesday, describing India’s purported decision as “a big step.”
He noted that about one-third of India’s oil supply comes from Russia and argued that such purchases help Moscow finance its war in Ukraine.
The US has been pressing countries to cut energy ties with Russia, saying oil revenues fund President Vladimir Putin’s military campaign.
Responding to Trump’s comments, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said it was “unaware of any conversation” between the two leaders. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters that while energy cooperation with the US is an ongoing matter, there was no confirmation of any commitment to end Russian oil imports.
Trump’s warning comes amid rising trade tensions, with Washington having imposed 50 per cent tariffs earlier this year on key Indian exports such as textiles and pharmaceuticals. The US president said those duties could remain, or even increase, if India continues buying Russian crude.
Russia has emerged as India’s top oil supplier in recent years, accounting for roughly a third of its total imports. New Delhi has defended the purchases as a matter of energy security, emphasising that its sourcing decisions are based on national interest rather than political considerations.
