India Denies Halting Russian Oil Imports After President Trump’s Claim

India has clarified that there is no interruption in its imports of Russian oil, countering a recent statement by US President Donald Trump suggesting otherwise.

Government sources on Saturday stated, “India’s energy purchases are driven by national interests and market forces. We do not have any reports of Indian oil firms halting Russian imports.”

President Trump had earlier told reporters in Washington, DC, “I understand that India is no longer going to be buying oil from Russia. That’s what I heard. I don’t know if that’s right or not. That is a good step. We will see what happens.”

Trump has also threatened to impose 100 per cent tariffs on nations purchasing Russian oil unless Russia agrees to a significant peace deal with Ukraine.

Although the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not issued a formal response to the President’s remarks, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday noted, “You are aware of our broad approach to energy sourcing requirements, that we look at what is available in the market and the prevailing global situation. We are not aware of any specifics.”

Temporary Market Response, Not Policy Shift

Reports have emerged suggesting that some Indian refiners, namely Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum, and Mangalore Refinery, have not recently purchased Russian oil.

However, sources indicate this is a short-term market response, not a policy shift.

These companies have turned to spot markets for supplies, focusing on Middle Eastern and West African grades such as Abu Dhabi’s Murban crude.

India remains the largest buyer of Russian crude and continues to base its energy procurement decisions on availability and pricing in the global market.

Commenting on India’s foreign policy, Jaiswal added, “We base our ties with any country on their own merit and do not view them through the prism of a third country. As far as India-Russia relations are concerned, we have a steady and time-tested partnership.”

He also reaffirmed the strength of India-US relations, asserting, “India and the United States share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties.”

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