United States President Donald Trump has reiterated his claim that India will significantly reduce its oil imports from Russia.
Speaking from the White House on Thursday, Trump said that India would cut its Russian oil imports by nearly 60% by the end of 2025, adding, “They’ll be down to almost nothing, about 40% of the oil.”
Trump Repeats Claim of India-Russia Oil Cut
Trump’s statement marks the second time in two weeks that he has mentioned India’s plans to scale back oil purchases from Russia.
“India, as you know, has told me they are going to stop… It’s a process. You can’t just stop buying oil overnight,” Trump said. He also mentioned speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi “a day earlier.”
However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has denied any recent conversation between the two leaders.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified last week:
“On the question of whether there was a conversation between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump, I am not aware of any such call.”
Trump Draws Comparison Between India and China
While discussing international relations, Trump said that India’s approach to global partnerships has been “absolutely great,” contrasting it with China’s stance.
“They (China and Russia) can’t really be friendly. It was never good, but because of the Biden and Obama administrations, they got pushed together,” Trump remarked.
He emphasized that New Delhi’s cooperation with Washington remains strong, adding that he shares a “great relationship” with Prime Minister Modi.
Possible Tariff Relief for India
Trump’s latest remarks come a day after a Mint report suggested that the United States may reduce tariffs on Indian imports to 15–16%, down from the previous 50%.
The report also hinted that India could gradually decrease its reliance on Russian energy, aligning with broader U.S. expectations.
Trump had initially imposed high tariffs on India in August, citing penalties for the country’s ongoing energy trade with Russia.
India’s Energy Balancing Act
Currently, India remains the world’s second-largest buyer of Russian energy after China. The government has continued to justify these purchases, stating they are essential for maintaining affordable fuel prices domestically.
Whether India actually follows through with the reduction Trump announced remains to be seen.
