US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the long-awaited India-US trade deal last week, with Trump saying that New Delhi would end its purchases of Russian oil under the agreement. Trump also lifted the 25 per cent tariff imposed on India over its energy imports from Russia.
However, uncertainty persists. It remains unclear whether India has stopped buying Russian oil or plans to halt such purchases in the future. Neither New Delhi nor Washington has offered clear confirmation, and statements from Russia have also failed to provide clarity.
Trump Claims India Agreed to End Russian Oil Purchases
On February 2, Donald Trump said he spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that the two leaders reached a trade agreement under which the United States would cut tariffs on Indian goods from 25 per cent to 18 per cent.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that Modi agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil and instead increase energy imports from the United States and potentially Venezuela. Trump also said Modi committed to a stronger “Buy American” policy, alongside plans to purchase more than $500 billion worth of US energy, technology, agriculture, and coal.
On Friday, Trump signed an executive order removing the 25 per cent penalty tariff imposed on India over its Russian energy imports. In the order, he repeated his claim that India would halt oil purchases from Russia.
“Specifically, India has committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil, has represented that it will purchase United States energy products, and has recently committed to a framework with the United States to expand defence cooperation over the next 10 years,” the executive order stated.
India Maintains Silence on Russian Oil Purchases
In its first response to Donald Trump’s claim that India would stop buying Russian oil under the India-US trade pact, the Ministry of External Affairs said New Delhi will continue to prioritise the needs of its 1.4 billion people, particularly amid ongoing volatility in global energy markets.
Addressing a press conference, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government remains focused on safeguarding India’s energy security. He reiterated that ensuring reliable energy supplies for the country’s population is the government’s foremost priority, a position it has stated publicly on multiple occasions.
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