Good step: Trump welcomes reports of India possibly halting Russian oil imports

The US has exerted geopolitical pressure on countries continuing to purchase Russian oil, as part of its intensified efforts to curb Moscow's revenue streams amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

In Short

• US pressures countries to cut Russian oil amid Ukraine war
• Trump criticises India for tariffs and buying Russian energy
• India defends ties with Russia, says values US relationship

US President Donald Trump on Friday welcomed reports that state-run refineries in India have halted buying Russian oil, calling it a “good step,” though he acknowledged he was not sure if the claim was accurate.

Responding to a question from a reporter about potential penalties or plans to engage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump said, “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.”

His comments come amid heightened geopolitical pressure on countries that continue purchasing Russian oil, as the US intensified efforts to curb Moscow’s revenue streams during the ongoing Ukraine war. India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, has been a key buyer of discounted Russian oil since Western sanctions were imposed on Moscow in 2022.

The Donald Trump administration, on July 30, imposed a 25 per cent tariff along with additional penalties on Indian imports. Trump cited India’s continued oil imports from Russia and longstanding trade barriers as key reasons behind the move.

On Thursday, reports suggested that Indian state refiners - including giants like Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum, and Bharat Petroleum - have stopped Russian oil purchases due to narrowing discounts and shipping challenges.

Trump’s remark also follows a sharp criticism earlier this week directed at New Delhi, calling India and Russia "dead economies", a day after slapping India with sweeping trade penalties. In a fiery social media post, the US President wrote, "I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care".

Responding to Trump, the government defended New Delhi’s long-standing ties with Moscow, calling it a "time-tested partnership".

“India and Russia share a steady and time-tested partnership,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, also reaffirming the strength of the India-US relationship. He expressed confidence that bilateral relations would continue to move forward despite current tensions.

- Ends