Indian refiners are preparing to scale back purchases of Russian crude following mounting pressure from Washington, as U.S. President Donald Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that India would halt Russian oil imports. The move comes amid high-stakes trade talks in Washington and could reshape energy flows between the two countries at a critical geopolitical moment.
Three industry sources told Reuters that refiners expect a gradual reduction in Russian oil imports rather than an abrupt halt. India’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that its priority remains ensuring stable energy prices and protecting domestic consumers, without directly addressing Trump’s claim. “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 said in a statement.
The U.S. has been pressing India to reduce its dependence on discounted Russian crude, arguing that Moscow uses oil revenues to fund its war in Ukraine. India and China are currently the two largest buyers of Russian seaborne crude, taking advantage of steep price discounts after European countries stopped purchasing Russian oil and imposed sanctions following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Trump told reporters at the White House that Modi had personally assured him of India’s plan to stop buying Russian oil. “I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia,” Trump said. The statement came as U.S. negotiators linked reduced tariffs on Indian goods to cuts in Russian oil imports, signaling that energy purchases are now a central issue in bilateral trade talks. The U.S. recently doubled tariffs on Indian goods as leverage to push for reduced Russian crude imports.
Indian refiners, however, have not yet received any formal government directive to stop buying Russian oil, sources said. They warned that any sudden shift away from Russian crude would increase global oil prices and fuel inflation, making an immediate switch economically difficult.
Between April and September 2025, India imported an average of 1.75 million barrels per day of Russian crude, accounting for 36% of its total oil imports. This is slightly lower than the 40% share recorded in the same period a year earlier. During the same time frame, U.S. crude shipments to India rose nearly 7% to 213,000 barrels per day, while Middle Eastern crude increased its share to 45% of total imports.
Indian officials said discussions are underway to deepen energy cooperation with the U.S., which may help offset reductions in Russian oil. “The current administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing,” foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
Any significant reduction in Russian imports by India — one of Moscow’s key oil customers — would mark a geopolitical shift in global energy markets, coming as the Trump administration seeks to tighten economic pressure on Russia while advancing its trade agenda with New Delhi.