President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him that his nation would halt Russian oil imports.
In an escalation of the trade war, Trump announced in August a 25% tariff penalty on the Asian nation for buying Russian oil and gas, which is on top of a 25% duty previously enacted.
“We have a great relationship,” Trump said about Modi to reporters in the White House, but added: “We’re not happy with him buying oil from Russia.”
Trump has been critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s prolonging the war against Ukraine, which began in February 2022. Trump said the decision by India could hasten an end to the conflict.
“He’s assured me there will be no oil purchased from Russia,” Trump said. “He can’t do it immedIately. There is a little bit of the process. … All we want from President Putin is to stop killing.”
If India doesn’t buy oil, it makes the situation much easier, Trump said, adding that “they’ll go back to Russia after the war is over” for oil.
India, which is the world’s most populous nation with 1.5 billion people, is the second-largest importer of oil behind China.
India is the third-largest consumer of oil with about 4.84 million barrels of crude in 2024.
Trump also urged China to join India in not buying oil from Russia.
And he is pressuring European Union nations to cut down on buying Russian oil.
Last week, Modi met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Mumbai in a visit Modi described as “historic.” The two-day visit included a large delegation of 125 CEOs, vice-chancellors, entrepreneurs and cultural leaders.
On Sept. 1, Modi met with 26 world leaders including Putin and China’s host, President Jinping Xi, as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. They’re a bloc of nations united against a global order led by the U.S.
Modi said he “had an excellent meeting with President Putin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin. Discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in all sectors, including trade, fertilizers, space, security and culture. We exchanged views on regional and global developments, including the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine. Our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership remains a vital pillar of regional and global stability.”
In late August, amid pressure from the Trump administration to end its buying of Russian oil, India’s ambassador to Russia, Vinay Kumar, declared that Delhi will buy oil from “wherever they get the best deal,” including Moscow.
Indian FM not aware of any discussions
India’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that it was not aware of any telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
UPI