Trump Praises India's Reported Halt on Russian Oil Purchases
Trump's Remarks on India's Oil Imports
On Saturday, US President Donald Trump commented that India has allegedly ceased its oil purchases from Russia, labeling this a 'positive development' if verified. His statement followed the recent imposition of a 25% tariff by Washington on India for acquiring crude oil and military supplies from Russia. Trump mentioned that he is considering further penalties for India.
Trump stated, "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..." This was in response to a query about potential penalties and whether he would engage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
#WATCH | "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..." says, US President Donald Trump on a question by ANI, if he had a number in mind for the… pic.twitter.com/qAbGUkpE12
— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2025
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified on Friday that India's energy acquisitions are driven by national interests and market conditions. They stated that there are no known developments regarding Indian oil companies stopping imports from Russia. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal remarked, "You are aware of our broad approach to energy sourcing requirements, that we look at what is available in the market and the prevailing global situation. We are not aware of any specifics."
Jaiswal's comments followed multiple statements from US officials, including Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who criticized India for continuing to import discounted Russian crude oil despite Western sanctions.
Earlier, Trump had sharply criticized India's trade relations with Russia, declaring both economies 'dead' and expressing indifference towards India's dealings with Russia. This came after he announced a 25% tariff on imports from India and penalties on Russian oil purchases, effective August 1. However, he later softened his stance, indicating that negotiations with India are currently underway.