India has publicly refuted a claim by U.S. President Donald Trump that its Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, committed to ending purchases of Russian oil. During a press briefing, a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that the government was unaware of any such assurance and reiterated that India’s energy import policy is dedicated to safeguarding its consumers.
President Trump had announced that Modi told him India would “not be buying oil from Russia,” calling it a major diplomatic victory. Indian officials, however, emphasized that while discussions with the U.S. on energy cooperation continue, no definitive commitment to cease Russian oil purchases has been made. This divergence comes at a time when India imports nearly one-third of its oil from Russia and is under mounting pressure from Washington to reduce that dependency.
Analysts suggest the discrepancy reflects both the U.S. desire to showcase diplomatic wins and India’s emphasis on maintaining strategic independence. India has argued that its energy decisions are guided by national interest and market considerations rather than external demands. At the same time, the U.S. has imposed steep tariffs on Indian imports—citing Delhi’s ongoing oil trade with Moscow—as it escalates pressure on Russia to end its war in Ukraine.
As the two countries navigate this tension, the dispute underscores broader challenges in their bilateral relationship: balancing energy security, trade interests, and geopolitical alignment in a shifting global landscape.
