Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that India would stop purchasing oil from Russia — a move Trump described as “a big step” toward increasing international pressure on Moscow.
Speaking at a joint news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel at the Oval Office, Trump said, “Yeah, sure. He’s (PM Modi) a friend of mine. We have a great relationship… I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big stop. Now we’ve got to get China to do the same thing.”
The U.S. President reaffirmed his personal rapport with Modi, noting, “He’s a friend of mine. We have a great relationship. He just said that two days ago, as you know.”
Trump criticized India’s previous energy trade with Russia, arguing that such purchases helped Moscow sustain its military offensive in Ukraine. “We were not happy with him buying oil from Russia because that lets Russia continue on with this ridiculous war, where they’ve lost a million and a half people — soldiers mostly,” he said.
India has consistently defended its crude imports from Moscow, citing economic stability and affordable energy as national priorities. Despite ongoing pressure from Washington to diversify energy sources, New Delhi maintains that its oil trade decisions are guided by practical and economic considerations.
Calling the Ukraine conflict “a war that should have never started,” Trump said, “It’s a war that Russia should have won in the first week, and they’re going into the fourth year. And I want to see it stop. So I was not happy that India was buying oil.”
Trump’s comments mark a significant diplomatic moment amid renewed efforts by Washington to isolate Russia economically while maintaining strong ties with India.
