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Russia says it has heard nothing from India about stopping Russian oil imports, pushing back against Trump’s claims after the India-US trade deal. While tariffs are confirmed, New Delhi’s silence on oil has raised fresh questions over the pact’s real terms.
No word on India stopping oil purchase: Russia
New Delhi: Russia on Tuesday said it has received no official communication from India regarding any decision to stop purchasing Russian oil, countering claims made by US President Donald Trump following the announcement of a new India-US trade agreement.
The reaction came a day after Trump unveiled a trade deal featuring reduced reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods, while also asserting that New Delhi would end imports of Russian crude and significantly increase purchases of American products.
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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had not heard anything from the Indian side about halting oil purchases. Speaking to reporters, he stated that Russia was yet to receive any formal indication from New Delhi supporting the claim.
Peskov emphasised that Russia values its long-standing partnership with India and intends to continue strengthening bilateral ties. He added that while Moscow respects India’s relations with the United States, its strategic partnership with India remains a priority.
India has officially confirmed the tariff-reduction aspect of the trade agreement, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcoming the move after a phone call with President Trump. However, Indian authorities have not issued any statement on ending crude oil imports from Russia.
This silence has drawn attention, particularly as oil purchases from Moscow have been a major point of friction between Washington and New Delhi over the past year.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak also weighed in, saying Moscow had only seen public statements so far and would wait to see how the situation develops. He added that demand for Russian energy remains strong globally.
India emerged as the largest buyer of discounted Russian seaborne crude after the Ukraine conflict began in 2022, a move that attracted criticism from Western countries that imposed sanctions on Russia’s energy sector.
A White House official said the additional 25 per cent punitive tariff imposed earlier on Indian imports over Russian oil purchases would be removed as part of the new trade arrangement, bringing the final tariff rate down to 18 per cent. While India has confirmed the revised tariff, it has not endorsed any commitment to halt oil imports.
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Ratings agency Moody’s warned that an abrupt end to Russian oil imports could disrupt India’s economic growth. It noted that shifting entirely to non-Russian sources could tighten global supply, push up prices and fuel inflation in India, one of the world’s largest oil importers.
Meanwhile, the Congress has demanded full disclosure of the India-US trade deal, questioning claims related to agriculture market access, zero tariffs and the reported pause in Russian oil purchases.
With conflicting statements from Washington and Moscow, clarity on India’s energy strategy remains awaited.
