WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has once again pressed India to halt its imports of Russian oil, cautioning that New Delhi would continue to face steep tariffs if it failed to comply.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him India would soon end purchases of Russian crude. “I spoke with Prime Minister Modi, and he said he’s not going to be doing the Russian oil thing,” Trump stated.
However, India’s foreign ministry later said it was unaware of any such conversation between the two leaders. Responding to this, Trump remarked, “If they want to deny it, that’s their choice — but then they’ll keep paying massive tariffs, and they don’t want that.”
Russian oil imports have been a persistent sticking point in US-India trade negotiations. According to Trump, about half of the 50 percent tariffs imposed on Indian goods are tied to the issue of Russian oil purchases. Washington maintains that revenues from Russian petroleum exports are fueling Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Since Western nations imposed sanctions on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, India has emerged as the largest buyer of discounted Russian seaborne oil.
Trump insisted that Modi had given him personal assurance that India would phase out these imports. Meanwhile, India’s foreign ministry reiterated that its primary concern remains protecting the interests of domestic consumers.
A White House official stated Thursday that India has reduced its Russian oil imports by half, though Indian sources countered that no significant decline has been observed so far.
Read more: https://nayakashmir.com/govt-approves-national-wheat-policy-2025-26-to-protect-farmers-interests/
