US President Donald Trump has reiterated that India has agreed to reduce its purchase of Russian crude.
Trump said Indian PM Narendra Modi had assured him during a phone call on Tuesday that Delhi “was not going to buy much oil from Russia” as he too “wants to see the war end with Russia-Ukraine”.
Modi acknowledged Trump’s call and his “warm greetings” on the festival of Diwali in a social media post but didn’t comment on Russian oil.
Trump had made similar remarks last week, but the Indian foreign ministry said at the time said it was “not aware” of any phone call between the leaders. On Wednesday, an official at the ministry told the BBC that it had no new comment on Trump’s latest remarks.
“I spoke to Prime Minister Modi today, as I mentioned before. And we just have a very good relationship. And he’s not going to buy much oil from Russia,” Trump told reporters during the White House Diwali celebrations on Tuesday.
“He wants to see the war end with Russia-Ukraine. And, as you know, they’re not going to be buying too much oil. So they’ve cut it way back and they’re continuing to cut it way back.”
India became one of the biggest markets for Russian oil as Western nations shunned purchases and imposed sanctions on Moscow after the Ukraine war started in 2022. Delhi increased its imports and bought Russian crude at discounted prices, saying the decision was vital to provide energy security to millions of its people.
Delhi has also pointed out that many Western nations, including the US, continue to have trade ties with Russia.
In recent months, US officials have accused Delhi of helping to fund Russia’s war against Ukraine by continuing to buy crude oil, a claim that Delhi denies.
The Trump administration has put both public and diplomatic pressure on Delhi to reduce its support for Moscow’s energy market, as part of efforts to economically isolate the Kremlin and push for an end to the war in Ukraine. Oil and gas are Russia’s largest exports, and Moscow’s biggest customers include China, India and Turkey.
As part of this pressure, the US has imposed 50% tariffs – including an additional 25% as a penalty for buying Russian oil – on Indian goods.
However, the US president’s tone has softened in recent days as trade negotiations between the two countries progress.
Last week, an Indian government spokesman said discussions were “ongoing” with the US administration which had “shown interest in deepening energy co-operation with India”.
India has been locked in high-stakes trade talks with the US aimed at reaching a long-sought deal in the coming months.
Meanwhile, a report in the Mint newspaper suggested that a deal could be announced soon and “India may agree to gradually reduce its imports of Russian oil”, citing three sources familiar with the matter.
The BBC has reached out to India’s commerce ministry for a comment.
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