WASHINGTON / NEW DELHI — U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that India has assured him it will phase out its imports of Russian seaborne crude, even as data shows that Moscow remains one of New Delhi’s top energy suppliers.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally given him assurances on scaling back Russian oil purchases. “He has assured me there will be no oil purchased 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 added that reducing India’s purchases would make it “much easier” for him to broker a truce between Russia and Ukraine, suggesting that India could resume Russian oil imports only after the conflict ends.
New Delhi and Beijing currently rank as the two largest buyers of Russian seaborne crude. India has so far neither confirmed nor denied Trump’s statement. Instead, Indian officials have consistently defended the country’s energy strategy, arguing that buying discounted Russian crude helps stabilize domestic prices and safeguard consumer interests.
Tensions between Washington and New Delhi over this issue have escalated in recent months. The Trump administration has imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods as a penalty for continuing to buy Russian oil, bringing total U.S. tariffs on India to 50 per cent — one of the highest rates imposed on any major economy. Trump has described these as “secondary tariffs,” a designation not applied to China, even though Beijing remains Russia’s largest energy customer.
Despite the political pressure, trade data paints a clear picture of India’s ongoing reliance on Russian oil. According to commodities and shipping tracker Kpler, Russia remained India’s largest source of crude in September 2025, accounting for 34 per cent of inbound shipments. India imported more than 4.5 million barrels per day that month — 70,000 barrels more than in August, though slightly lower than the year-ago period.
Data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) indicates that India was the world’s second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels in September, purchasing oil worth roughly ₹25,597 crore.
India’s state-owned refiners have scaled back Russian imports by more than 45 per cent between June and September, but analysts attribute this to changing market dynamics rather than U.S. pressure or European criticism. In October, trade between India and Russia stabilized at approximately 1.6 million barrels per day, broadly in line with market expectations.
Since the war in Ukraine began, India has defended its energy ties with Russia, describing the partnership as long-standing and pragmatic. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has repeatedly pointed to what he calls Western “double standards,” arguing that India must prioritize its own energy security.
Trump’s latest claim underscores the geopolitical tug-of-war over Russian oil revenues — and highlights how India’s balancing act between Western allies and Moscow remains a critical factor in global energy politics.