India Reaffirms Stance on Russian Oil Purchases After Trump’s Claim

Amid US President Donald Trump’s assertion that India would stop buying Russian oil, New Delhi on Thursday firmly reiterated its independent stance, emphasizing that protecting the interests of Indian consumers in a volatile global energy market remains the government’s top priority.

Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “assured” him India would halt purchases of Russian oil.

“I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big stop,” Trump said, adding that the change would occur “within a short period of time.” He also said he intended to get China to “do the same thing.”

MEA Reiterates India’s Energy Policy
Responding to the comments, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal underscored India’s consistent position on energy sourcing.

“India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective,” Jaiswal said in a statement.

He outlined the two central goals of India’s energy strategy — ensuring stable energy prices and securing supplies — adding that this requires diversifying sources according to market conditions.
“Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy. This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions,” he said.

Expanding Energy Cooperation with the US
Jaiswal also noted that India has been steadily expanding its energy cooperation with the United States over the past decade, with ongoing discussions to deepen ties further.
“Where the US is concerned, we have for many years sought to expand our energy procurement. This has steadily progressed in the last decade. The current administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing,” he said.

Last month, US ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor said Washington wanted New Delhi to open its markets to American crude oil, petroleum products, and LNG.
“Possibilities are endless… we fully intend, in these trade talks that are ongoing, to open Indian markets to our crude oil, petroleum products, and LNG,” Gor said, highlighting India’s growing middle class and vast market potential.

Trump’s Criticism Over Russian Oil Imports
President Trump recently announced a doubling of tariffs on Indian goods — from 25% to 50% — citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, amid his criticism of Moscow’s actions in Ukraine. Several of his aides, including Peter Navarro and Howard Lutnick, have also publicly commented on India’s energy ties with Russia.

Thursday’s statement marks yet another instance of India asserting its strategic autonomy in energy decisions. The MEA has consistently maintained that India’s sourcing of oil is determined by market availability and global conditions, while its defence procurements are guided by “national security imperatives and strategic assessments.”