Trump Praises India's Stance on Russian Oil Amid Global Pressure on Energy Sanctions

Donald Trump has reiterated assertions that India significantly reduced its Russian oil purchases.

Busan:

US President Donald Trump on Thursday repeated claims that India has substantially decreased its Russian oil imports, remarking that New Delhi has been "very good" on this issue amid his broader efforts to economically isolate Moscow through energy sanctions.

While discussing energy matters during his press briefing aboard Air Force One, Trump mentioned that the United States has limited influence over China's Russian oil purchases, noting that Russian oil "takes care of a big part of China."

"There's not a lot more we can do. The oil he's [Xi Jinping] been buying from Russia for a long time. It takes care of a big part of China, and I can say India's been very good on that front, but we didn't really discuss the oil. We discussed working together to see if we could get that war finished. It doesn't affect China, it doesn't affect us but I'd like to see it done," Trump stated during the briefing following his bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC Summit in Busan, South Korea.

These comments represent Trump's latest in a series of claims since mid-October 2025 suggesting PM Modi assured him India would cease or dramatically reduce Russian crude imports, which serve as a significant revenue source for Russia's Ukraine war efforts.

Trump's statements referenced ongoing international pressure on nations to diminish energy relationships with Russia following the Ukraine conflict, which Western nations claim finances Moscow's military operations in the region.

Earlier this month, India responded to Trump's comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi allegedly promising to halt Russian oil purchases. The Indian government clarified that its energy procurement policies are guided by national interests and the necessity to protect Indian consumers.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective. Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy. This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions."

"Where the US is concerned, we have for many years sought to expand our energy procurement. This has steadily progressed in the last decade. The current Administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing," he added.

This response followed President Trump's claim that PM Modi had assured him India would stop purchasing Russian oil, which Trump described as "a big step" in efforts to increase global pressure on Moscow.

India has consistently defended its oil imports from Russia as essential for its economic stability, even as Washington continues to urge New Delhi to diversify its energy sources.