Washington/New Delhi: U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday welcomed reports suggesting that India may have ceased purchasing crude oil from Russia, calling it a “good step” if confirmed. The statement comes in the wake of heightened trade tensions, with the United States recently imposing a 25% tariff on Indian goods and warning of further penalties over New Delhi’s continued trade engagements with Moscow, particularly in the energy and defense sectors.
“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, but it would be a good step. We’ll see what happens,” President Trump said in an interview with news agency ANI.
The remarks followed media reports indicating that Indian state-run refiners have recently paused purchases of Russian crude, citing a diminishing price advantage and growing diplomatic pressure from Washington.
India Responds, Cites Market-Driven Policy
In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that the country’s energy procurement decisions remain guided by market dynamics and national interest.
“Our bilateral relationships with various countries stand on their own merit and should not be seen through the prism of a third country. India and Russia have a steady and time-tested partnership,” the MEA stated on Friday. The ministry further added it had no specific information indicating that Indian oil companies had formally suspended Russian imports.
India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, has been among the top buyers of discounted Russian crude shipped via sea, especially after the onset of the Russia–Ukraine conflict and ensuing Western sanctions.
Strategic Shift by State-Run Refiners
According to a report by Reuters, major Indian state-run oil companies — including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd — have not placed any new orders for Russian crude in the past week. This potential shift in procurement strategy follows intensifying scrutiny from Washington, which has repeatedly warned its allies against sustaining energy trade ties with Moscow.
Earlier in the week, President Trump, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sharply criticised India for continuing to import Russian oil, describing it as incompatible with the collective Western stance on sanctions against Russia over its military operations in Ukraine.
With geopolitical and economic pressures mounting, India now finds itself at the centre of a delicate balancing act between long-standing strategic partnerships and evolving global alignments.
.png)
The opinions posted here do not belong to 🔰www.indiansdaily.com. The author is solely responsible for the opinions.
As per the IT policy of the Central Government, insults against an individual, community, religion or country, defamatory and inflammatory remarks, obscene and vulgar language are punishable offenses. Legal action will be taken for such expressions of opinion.