Trump Repeats Claim About India Halting Russian Oil Purchases
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump reiterated his claim that India will stop buying Russian oil, following similar statements made earlier this week.
Key Developments
- Trump claims PM Modi assured him India would stop Russian oil purchases
- India denies awareness of any Modi-Trump conversation
- New Delhi emphasizes energy security as primary concern
- US imposes 50% tariffs on India over Russian oil imports
Bilateral Meeting Details
President Trump met with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday for crucial arms talks regarding the Ukraine war. During their bilateral lunch, Trump repeated his earlier claim about India’s oil import stance.
“Well, India is not going to be buying Russian oil anymore,” the US President stated, echoing comments he made on Wednesday during a White House interaction with reporters.
Earlier Claims and Indian Response
On Wednesday, Trump had claimed: “I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big stop.”
In response, India’s External Affairs Ministry emphasized that the government’s priority remains safeguarding Indian consumer interests in volatile energy markets.
“India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective,” the ministry stated.
Official Clarification
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal directly contradicted Trump’s claims about communication between the leaders, stating: “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.”
Trade Implications
The diplomatic exchange comes as Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on India, including additional 25% duties, specifically citing India’s purchase of Russian oil as the reason.
