India agreeing to stop buying Russian oil imports
President Trump claimed Modi assured him of an oil deal, but Indian officials deny any such discussion or agreement occurred.
India has cast doubt on claims made by former U.S. President Donald Trump that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil, creating another diplomatic flashpoint between Washington and New Delhi.
On Wednesday, Trump told reporters that Modi had assured him earlier that day that India would soon bring an end to its purchase of Russian crude. “I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he [Modi] has assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia,” Trump said. “You know, you can’t do it immediately. It’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon.” He added that he expected to convince China to take similar steps in the coming weeks.
However, the Indian government swiftly contradicted Trump’s version of events. In a press briefing held in New Delhi on Thursday, officials from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated clearly that there had been “no telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Modi and U.S. President Trump yesterday.” The statement effectively undermined Trump’s assertion, suggesting that no such assurance or discussion had taken place.
The exchange has once again highlighted the tension between the United States and India over New Delhi’s continued energy relationship with Moscow. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India has emerged as one of the largest buyers of discounted Russian oil, alongside China. These purchases have been a major source of friction with Washington, which views them as undermining Western efforts to isolate the Kremlin economically.
Trump, who has made his opposition to India’s Russian oil imports a regular talking point, has repeatedly accused New Delhi of indirectly financing Russia’s war against Ukraine. Earlier this year, after failing to broker what he described as a “peace deal” with Moscow, the former U.S. president imposed some of his highest tariffs on Indian imports. In August, Washington announced an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods—on top of the existing 25% rate—specifically targeting the country’s continued trade in Russian energy.
For Modi, Trump’s renewed pressure to end Russian oil imports presents a delicate balancing act. India’s decades-long strategic and defense partnership with Russia remains central to its foreign policy. Moscow is still New Delhi’s largest supplier of military equipment, and the two countries share a long history of cooperation dating back to the Cold War. At the same time, India has deepened its ties with the United States over the past decade, particularly through defense cooperation and the Quad alliance involving Japan and Australia.
In response to questions about Trump’s remarks, Indian officials reiterated that the country’s energy policy is guided by national interest. “Our priority is to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario,” the MEA said in an official statement. “All policies are dictated by the imperative to diversify and secure India’s energy sources.”
India has defended its decision to buy Russian oil at discounted rates, arguing that it cannot allow foreign governments to dictate its energy mix. Officials in New Delhi maintain that the country’s vast energy requirements—necessary to fuel its rapidly growing economy—make it impossible to abruptly cut off supplies from Russia. They also point out that Indian refiners have re-exported a portion of processed Russian crude to Europe and the United States, meaning Western consumers themselves indirectly benefit from these imports.
Despite these justifications, relations between Washington and New Delhi have cooled in recent months. Trump’s administration has grown increasingly critical of what it calls India’s “double game” in global geopolitics, accusing Modi of enabling Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war machine while still courting American strategic support. Some White House officials have even gone so far as to label the Ukraine conflict “Modi’s war,” a phrase that has drawn outrage in Indian political circles.
Yet Trump appeared to strike a friendlier tone on Wednesday when speaking personally about Modi. “Modi is a great man. He loves Trump,” the U.S. president remarked, suggesting a personal rapport even as policy disagreements persist.
While both sides have expressed interest in maintaining strong economic and defense ties, the latest dispute underscores the widening cracks in the relationship. As India continues to prioritize affordable energy and strategic autonomy, and as Washington seeks to tighten sanctions on Moscow, the question of Russian oil will likely remain a sore point between the two nations.
For now, India’s position appears unchanged: it will continue to buy Russian oil as long as it serves its national interests, regardless of pressure from Washington—or claims from Donald Trump.