Trump says PM Modi vowed to end Russian oil imports, calls move key to pressure Putin

Washington, Oct 16: US President Donald Trump has claimed that his "friend" Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured him that India would stop purchasing oil from Russia, a move he described as a "big step" toward increasing pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

India's continuing purchase of petroleum products from Russia, notwithstanding Western sanctions, has become a major issue that resulted in a severe downturn in ties between New Delhi and Washington.

Speaking to the press at his Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said the US was "not happy" that India was buying Russian crude, arguing such purchases helped finance President Vladimir Putin's war.

"He (Modi) is a friend of mine, we have a great relationship... we were not happy with him buying oil from Russia because that let Russia continue on with this ridiculous war where they've lost a million and a half people," the US president said in response to a question.

"I was not happy that India was buying oil, and (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That's a big step. Now we've got to get China to do the same thing," he said.

India is the second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels behind China, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

The US president said India may not be able to cut the procurement immediately, but the process has started.

"He (Modi) has assured me there will be no oil purchased from Russia. I don't know, maybe that's a breaking story. Can I say that?... He's not buying his oil from Russia. It (has) started. He can't do it immediately; it's a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon," Trump claimed.

There is no immediate reaction from New Delhi on Trump's claim.

Trump said India could resume energy trade with Moscow after the Russia-Ukraine war is over.

"If India doesn't buy oil, it makes it much easier, and they're not going to buy, they assured me they will, within a short period of time, they will not be buying oil from Russia... And they'll go back to Russia after the war is over," he said.

Traditionally reliant on Middle Eastern oil, India, the world's third-largest oil importer, significantly increased its imports from Russia following the February 2022 Ukraine invasion.

Western sanctions and reduced European demand made Russian oil available at steep discounts. As a result, India's Russian crude imports surged from under 1% to nearly 40% of its total crude oil imports in a short span.

The relations between New Delhi and Washington have been reeling under severe stress after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.

PTI