U.S. President Donald Trump has once again asserted that India will stop buying oil from Russia, claiming the South Asian nation has “more or less stopped” its purchases. The statement came during a press event on October 17 at the White House, where Trump noted that India “bought about 38 % of the oil” from Russia and “won’t be doing it anymore.”
Trump also referenced discussions with India’s Prime Minister , saying Modi personally assured him that India would end its Russian oil imports — an announcement made without a parallel confirmation from India’s government. Although India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded by stating that the country is “diversifying” its energy sourcing, it neither confirmed nor denied the U.S. claim.
Despite some Western data suggesting a drop in India’s Russian oil purchases between June and September, Indian industry sources said the government has issued no formal directive to reduce such imports — and long-term contracts remain in place for November and December cargoes.
Back home in India, the comments stirred political backlash. Opposition leaders from the accused Prime Minister Modi of allowing the U.S. president to make decisions on India’s behalf. One senior Congress spokesperson claimed Modi had “outsourced key decisions to America,” and labeled Trump’s declaration an “insult to the country.”
The remarks also come amid increased U.S. pressure on major energy importers to cut ties with Russia. Earlier this year, Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, citing continued Russian oil imports as the reason—a move India called unfair, noting that many Western countries still purchase Russian energy without facing similar trade penalties.
For India, the row raises both geopolitical and economic stakes: the nation is the world’s second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels, importing several billion euros’ worth each month. As New Delhi continues to balance energy security, diplomatic ties, and global optics, the episode underscores the complexity of aligning strategic interests with public messaging in a tense global energy market.