Washington: US President Donald Trump has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him India would stop buying oil from Russia — a decision he called a “big step” toward increasing pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, despite Western sanctions, has strained its relations with Washington in recent months.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said the US was “not happy” that India was buying Russian crude, arguing such purchases were helping to fund President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
“He (Modi) is a friend of mine, we have a great relationship. But we were not happy with him buying oil from Russia because that lets Russia continue this ridiculous war where they’ve lost a million and a half people,” Trump said.
He added that Modi had now assured him India would halt such purchases:
“I was not happy that India was buying oil, and (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big step. Now we’ve got to get China to do the same thing.”
According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), India is currently the world’s second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels, after China.
Trump acknowledged that India may not be able to end its Russian oil imports immediately but said the process was underway.
“He (Modi) has assured me there will be no oil purchased from Russia… It’s a process, but it’s going to be over soon,” he claimed.
There has been no immediate response from New Delhi to Trump’s remarks.
The US president said Washington’s goal was to financially pressure Putin into ending the war.
“All we want from President Putin is to stop killing Ukrainians — and Russians too. It’s a war he should have won in one week, and now it’s in its fourth year,” Trump said.
He also suggested that India could resume energy trade with Moscow once the war ends.
“If India doesn’t buy oil, it makes things much easier. They’ll go back to Russia after the war is over,” he added.
Praising Modi, Trump described him as “a great man” and “a strong leader.”
“He loves Trump… I don’t want to destroy his political career,” he quipped, while commending Modi’s long tenure compared to India’s frequent leadership changes in earlier years.
Following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, India — traditionally reliant on Middle Eastern oil — sharply increased its imports of discounted Russian crude, which rose from less than 1% to nearly 40% of total imports.
Washington has repeatedly argued that India’s purchases are helping to finance Putin’s war effort. However, New Delhi maintains that its energy imports are driven by national interest, emphasizing its “independent and balanced” approach to the conflict.
Tensions between the two countries escalated further after Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods — including a 25% surcharge related to India’s Russian oil purchases. New Delhi called the move “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”
Meanwhile, US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor, who met with Modi and senior Indian officials last week, said Washington “values” its relationship with India despite ongoing frictions.
Gor also held talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri during his visit to New Delhi.
