India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has refuted U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him India would cease purchasing Russian oil. Trump made the claim during a White House event, stating that Modi had “assured me today” that India would stop buying oil from Russia. However, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that, to his knowledge, no such conversation took place between the two leaders on that day.
The Indian government reiterated that its energy import policies are driven solely by the need to safeguard the interests of Indian consumers in a volatile energy market. The MEA emphasized that ensuring stable energy prices and secure supplies are the primary objectives of India’s energy policy, which includes diversifying energy sources to meet market conditions.
This development comes amid ongoing trade negotiations between India and the United States, with energy imports being a significant point of discussion. While India has expressed interest in increasing energy imports from the U.S., the country remains committed to its strategic autonomy in energy sourcing, including maintaining its relationship with Russia.
The U.S. administration has previously imposed tariffs on Indian goods, partly in response to India’s continued oil imports from Russia, which the U.S. views as indirectly supporting Russia’s actions in Ukraine. India, however, maintains that its energy procurement decisions are made independently, based on national interests.
