Trump says India will not buy oil from Russia
Narendra Modi and Donald Trump (Photo: EPA/Will Oliver)

US President Donald Trump said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised him to stop buying oil from Russia. He said this during a joint press conference with Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kesh Patel at the White House.

"I wasn't happy with India buying oil, and he (Modi) assured me today that they would not buy oil from Russia," Trump said.

After all, he said, this allows Russia to continue the war, where it has already lost 1.5 million soldiers.

According to Reuters, the price of oil rose by 1% after Trump said India had promised to stop buying from Russia.

US President calls Modi's words "a big step" and says he must convince China to do the same.

Trump also noted that he and Indian Prime Minister Modi are friends who have a great relationship. However, earlier on September 23, at the UN General Assembly, Trump declared China and India "the main sponsors" of Russia's war against Ukraine, as they import Russian oil and gas.

And Narendra Modi called on Indians to boycott imported goods after the US raised duties by 50%.

The official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs of India, Randhir Jaiswal , commented on Trump's statement as follows: "India is a significant importer of oil and gas. Protecting the interests of the Indian consumer in the face of an unstable energy situation is a constant priority for us. Our import policy is fully guided by this objective.".

He assured that India has been seeking to expand its energy purchases for many years, and now the current White House administration is interested in deepening cooperation with India in the energy sector, so negotiations are ongoing.

  • on August 27, the United States imposed a 50% duty on Indian goods due to the purchase of Russian oil.
  • On October 13, the new US duties dealt a severe blow to India's textile industry.