Home India MEA Clarifies India’s Stance After Trump’s Claim On Russian Oil

MEA Clarifies India’s Stance After Trump’s Claim On Russian Oil

India reaffirms its oil import decisions are guided solely by national interests and energy security, pushing back against Trump’s claim that PM Modi had pledged to stop buying Russian crude.
A model of an oil pump and oil barrels jack is seen in front of Russian and Indian flags in this illustration taken, December 9, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

India on Thursday responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Prime Minister Modi had pledged to halt Russian oil purchases, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stating that the current U.S. administration is focused on strengthening energy cooperation with India and that discussions are ongoing.

New Delhi reaffirmed that its oil import decisions are guided solely by national interests and energy security.

“India remains a major importer of oil and gas, and our consistent priority is to protect Indian consumers amid a volatile global energy market,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

“Our import policies are designed to ensure both stability and security of supply. This means diversifying our sources and broadening our energy base in line with market realities,” he added.

Jaiswal noted that India has steadily expanded energy trade with the United States over the past decade.

“The current U.S. administration has shown interest in further deepening energy cooperation with India, and discussions are ongoing,” he said.

Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, said Washington was “unhappy” with India’s continued imports of Russian crude, arguing that such purchases indirectly supported President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.

He claimed Modi had assured him that India would soon halt the purchases, though it might take time to phase them out completely.

“Modi is a friend of mine, and we have a great relationship,” Trump said. “But we were not happy about India buying oil from Russia because that allows Russia to continue this ridiculous war. He assured me today that India will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big step. Now we need China to do the same.”

More Pressure On Moscow

Trump went on to assert that the move was intended to financially pressure Moscow to end the conflict. “All we want from President Putin is to stop killing Ukrainians and Russians,” he said, calling the war one that “should have ended in a week” but has now stretched into its fourth year.

He further suggested that India could resume oil trade with Russia once the war concludes: “If India doesn’t buy oil now, it helps a lot, and they will go back to Russia after the war is over.”

Relations between Washington and New Delhi have faced strain following Trump’s imposition of a 50% tariff on Indian goods — a move he described as retaliation for India’s continued purchases of Russian oil.

Tensions deepened further when his administration introduced a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applications, a programme vital for Indian tech professionals seeking employment in the U.S.

(With inputs from IBNS)

+ posts