Trump Claims PM Modi Made Him a Russia Oil Promise; India Issues Strong Response

US India Relations: US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi told him that India will stop buying oil from Russia, a move Trump described as a "big step" in efforts to isolate Moscow economically.

"So I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia," Trump told reporters during a White House event.

"That's a big step. Now we're going to get China to do the same thing."

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“I’ve watched India for years. It’s an incredible country, and every single year you’d have a new leader,” Mr. Trump said, adding: “My friend has been there now for a long time.”

The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to emailed questions about whether Mr. Modi had made such a commitment to Mr. Trump.

An Indian pledge to halt buying Russian oil would mark a potential turning point in global energy diplomacy, as Washington intensifies efforts to choke Moscow's oil revenues amid its ongoing war in Ukraine.

It would also signal a major shift by one of Moscow's top energy customers and could reshape the calculus for other nations still importing Russian crude. It comes as Trump seeks to leverage bilateral relationships to enforce economic isolation, rather than relying solely on multilateral sanctions.

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During his comments to reporters, Trump added that India could not "immediately" halt shipments, calling it "a little bit of a process, but that process will be over soon."

Since the war in Ukraine began, Western powers, particularly the US, have repeatedly scoffed at India buying Russian oil. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has articulated the Indian position on this subject and said it was merely trying to get the best deal for its citizens. He has also pointed to the double standards of the West, saying that it needs to grow out of the mindset that "Europe's problems are the world's problems, but the world's problems are not Europe's problems."

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