Trump Hints India May Halt Russian Oil Imports Amid Tariff Row, But Says He’s ‘Not Sure’

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday suggested that India may have stopped buying oil from Russia, though he admitted he wasn’t certain.

“I understand that India is no longer going to be buying oil from Russia. That’s what I heard, I don’t know if that’s right or not. That is a good step. We will see what happens,” Trump told reporters.

His remarks come just days after he launched a sharp attack on India over its continued purchases of Russian energy and military hardware amid the Ukraine war. The White House recently imposed a 25% tariff on all Indian exports to the U.S., with an additional unspecified “penalty” reportedly linked to New Delhi’s trade with Moscow.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump had criticized India for maintaining the “world’s highest tariffs” and accused it of erecting “obnoxious” trade barriers. He also expressed anger over India’s ongoing energy and defense ties with Russia.

India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, has become the largest buyer of seaborne Russian crude—a major source of revenue for Moscow. However, a recent Reuters report, citing sources, said India’s state refiners had not purchased Russian oil in the past week, raising speculation of a possible policy shift.

India Responds to Tariff Threat

In response to Trump’s tariff moves and rhetoric, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a measured defense of its long-standing ties with both Russia and the United States.

“India and the U.S. share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday.
“This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges,” he added, expressing confidence that the relationship would “continue to move forward.”

Jaiswal also reaffirmed New Delhi’s energy and defense relationship with Moscow, calling it a “steady and time-tested partnership,” while pointing to the potential for deepening defense cooperation with the U.S. as well.

The MEA’s comments underscore India’s effort to balance strategic ties with both Washington and Moscow amid rising global tensions and increasingly punitive U.S. trade measures.

As speculation swirls around whether India is quietly scaling back Russian oil purchases, analysts say the coming weeks could prove critical in determining the trajectory of U.S.-India relations, especially as Trump tightens his economic pressure campaign.