Trump Says India Will Scale Back Russian Oil Imports, Calls It “A Process” Amid New Sanctions
President Donald Trump reaffirmed Thursday that India has pledged to sharply reduce its imports of Russian oil, describing the effort as a gradual process aimed at near elimination by year’s end.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally assured him that New Delhi would curb its purchases from Moscow. “India, as you know, has told me they’re going to stop—it’s a process. You can’t just stop overnight,” Trump said. “By the end of the year, they’ll be down to almost nothing—about 40 percent of their oil. They’ve been great. I spoke to Prime Minister Modi yesterday.”
However, India has publicly denied reaching any such agreement with Washington. Officials in New Delhi reiterated that the nation’s energy policy prioritizes affordability and stability, emphasizing that decisions on crude imports are guided by consumer interests and domestic price security.
The United States has already imposed a 50 percent tariff on select Indian imports, attributing half of that measure to India’s continued trade in Russian crude.
Trump’s remarks came shortly after his administration announced fresh sanctions targeting Russian energy giants Lukoil and Rosneft—his first major Ukraine-related sanctions since beginning his second term. The move signals growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the ongoing conflict.
The president also struck an optimistic note about his upcoming meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, saying he hopes to leverage the talks to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv.
“China is a little different,” Trump said. “They were pushed closer to Russia because of Biden and Obama. They should never have been forced together. I’ll be talking to Xi about ending the war—through oil, energy, or anything else. I think he’ll be receptive.”
Washington has warned Beijing that it could face tariffs of up to 155 percent beginning November 1 if no agreement is reached.
