India Denies Trump's Claim That Modi Promised to Halt Russian Oil Imports:

In a surprising diplomatic twist, India has refuted former U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil. On Wednesday, Trump told reporters that Modi had personally assured him “today” that India would soon stop importing oil from Russia. “I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he [Modi] has assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. You know, you can’t do it immediately. It’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon,” Trump said. He further claimed that he would be making similar progress with China. However, Indian officials quickly cast doubt on the accuracy of Trump’s statement. During a press briefing on Thursday, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs made it clear that no such conversation had taken place between the two leaders. “There was no telephonic conversation between PM Modi and former U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday,” an official said. Trump’s remarks have placed Prime Minister Modi in a difficult diplomatic position, particularly as India continues to deepen its economic ties with Russia. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India has emerged as one of the largest buyers of discounted Russian crude oil, second only to China. This growing energy relationship between India and Russia has been a point of contention with the United States. In August, the Biden administration imposed significant tariffs on Indian imports — with an additional 25% levied on top of an existing 25% base — as a punitive measure in response to India's continued purchase of Russian oil. Trump has also voiced frustration, accusing India of indirectly supporting Russia’s war efforts by funding its energy sector. Despite external pressure, India has consistently defended its right to pursue independent energy policies. Citing national interest and energy security, the Indian government has stated that its oil imports are driven by economic needs and not political alliances. “Our priority is to safeguard the interests of Indian consumers in a volatile global energy market,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement earlier this week. “Our policies are focused on diversifying sources and securing our energy future.” India’s relationship with Russia goes beyond energy, rooted in decades of strategic partnership since the Cold War era. Russia remains India’s largest supplier of arms and a key geopolitical partner. Meanwhile, the conflicting narratives between Trump’s statements and India’s official response have added further complexity to already strained U.S.-India relations. The White House has recently adopted a tougher tone, with some officials describing the ongoing war in Ukraine as “Modi’s war” — an accusation strongly rejected by New Delhi. Still, Trump struck a more positive tone on Wednesday, referring to Modi as “a great man” and claiming, “Modi loves Trump.” With U.S.-India trade negotiations ongoing, especially around tariffs and energy policy, both nations are treading carefully. While India continues to prioritize energy diversification and affordability, Washington is seeking to curb financial flows to Moscow by pressuring its allies — a balancing act that is growing increasingly difficult.

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