Trump claims Modi assured to halt Russian oil purchases

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured him India will stop buying oil from Russia, as Washington ramps up efforts to curb Moscow’s energy revenues amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Speaking at a White House event, Trump said he was “not happy” with India’s continued imports of Russian crude but that Modi had pledged to end the purchases.

“He (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia,” Trump told reporters. “That’s a big step. Now we’re going to get China to do the same thing.”

India and China are currently the two largest buyers of Russian seaborne crude, benefiting from steep discounts since Western nations shunned Moscow’s oil exports following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The Trump administration has recently increased pressure on New Delhi over its energy trade with Russia, imposing tariffs on Indian exports to the United States in a bid to discourage crude purchases and push Moscow toward peace negotiations.

The Indian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether Modi had made such a commitment.