Donald Trump hints India may stop Russian oil imports amid tariff threats, as Delhi defends ties and reaffirms US-India partnership. Photo/X.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday said he had heard that India may no longer be purchasing oil from Russia, while simultaneously admitting uncertainty about the report. The comments were made by POTUS days after he imposed 25% tariffs on India and aso threatning panality for buying Russian oil.
“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 comments come shortly after a wave of criticism directed at India for continuing to import Russian oil despite the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump had also targeted India over trade practices, accusing the country of maintaining high tariffs and buying Russian arms and energy.
Days before his latest remarks, Trump launched a scathing attack on India through a post on Truth Social. He slammed the country for its “obnoxious” trade barriers and ongoing purchase of Russian military equipment and energy during the Ukraine conflict.
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Additionally, the White House announced the imposition of 25% tariffs on all Indian exports to the United States, with an unspecified further “penalty” related to its Russian energy transactions.
India, currently the world’s third-largest oil importer, has emerged as the top buyer of seaborne Russian crude—one of Moscow’s main revenue sources amid Western sanctions. However, citing unnamed sources, Reuters reported on Friday that India’s state-run refiners had not bought any Russian oil in the past week.
Responding to Trump’s criticism and tariff threats, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) defended its longstanding energy and defense ties with Russia.
“India and the US share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values and robust people-to-people ties. This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday.
He further emphasized India’s commitment to deepening its strategic ties with the United States:
“We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward,” Jaiswal added.
Jaiswal also highlighted the potential for expanding the “strong defence partnership” with Washington, while affirming that India’s relations with the US had consistently moved past past challenges and would continue to do so.
Must Read: What If India Stops Buying Russian Oil Amid US Tariffs? Here’s Where It Will Get Its Crude From
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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