India “Largely Stopped” Russian Oil Purchase: Donald Trump’s Fresh Claim Amid Tariffs

US President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that India has “largely stopped” purchasing Russian oil, marking an apparent shift in Washington’s stance amid ongoing trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington.

Speaking during a media interaction at the White House on Friday, Trump stated, “They (trade talks with India) are going good. He stopped buying oil from Russia largely. He is a friend of mine, and we speak, and he wants me to go there. We will figure that out, I will go…” The US President also hinted that he may visit India next year as part of strengthening bilateral trade ties.

Trump’s Renewed Push On India-Russia Energy Ties

Trump’s latest remarks come against the backdrop of Washington’s efforts to reduce global dependence on Russian oil, as part of its broader sanctions against Moscow over the war in Ukraine. Previously in October, he claimed that assured him that India would “soon stop” buying oil from Russia, a claim that New Delhi swiftly denied.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that it was unaware of any such communication. “On the question of whether there was a conversation or a telephone call between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump, I am not aware of any conversation yesterday between the two leaders,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had stated.

Despite this, Trump has continued to insist that India is scaling down its Russian oil purchases, now asserting that the country has “largely stopped” buying crude from Moscow.

The claim comes months after Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian imports in August, half of which were reportedly linked to India’s ongoing energy ties with Russia.

READ MORE: Nancy Pelosi To Retire After 40 Years In Congress, First Woman Speaker Ends Historic Run