President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally assured him that India would “sharply reduce” its Russian oil imports to “almost nothing” by the end of the year.
Speaking at the White House, Trump praised India’s cooperation, calling the move a “big thing.” He highlighted that nearly 40 per cent of India’s crude imports were currently coming from Russia.
“India, as you know, told me that they would stop. It is a process; you can’t just stop it. But by the end of the year, they will be down to almost nothing. That’s a big thing,” Trump said.
US Pressure and Tariffs
Trump’s statements came amid a tough US approach aimed at choking Moscow’s war funding by pressuring its energy customers.
- Tariff Threat: The President previously warned that India would face “massive tariffs” if it continued to purchase Russian oil.
- Action Taken: The US had already imposed 50 per cent tariffs on certain Indian goods to push New Delhi to diversify its energy sources.
- Sanctions: Washington intensified its efforts by sanctioning two major Russian oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil.
India’s Stance
Despite US pressure, India has maintained that its energy policy is solely focused on ensuring stable prices and securing supplies for its large and growing population. The country has significantly increased its Russian oil purchases since the start of the Ukraine war, benefiting from discounted crude.
Trump’s latest comments, however, suggested a potential “thaw” in his approach, even as his administration continued to exert economic pressure on India.
