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Indian authorities have expressed skepticism regarding assertions made by President Trump that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had committed to cease purchasing Russian crude oil.

Trump's Claims and New Delhi's Response

Earlier this week, Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Modi had given him assurances “this very day” that the Indian government would discontinue its acquisition of oil from Russia.

“I was not happy that the Indian administration was purchasing crude, and he [Modi] has assured me on this day that they will not be buying oil from Russia. You know, you can’t do it immediately. It’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon,” Trump told reporters.

Nevertheless, in a press briefing on Thursday, representatives from India seemed to contradict the US president’s account, clarifying that there was “no phone call between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump the previous day”.

Background of India-Russia Ties and Crude Purchases

The South Asian nation, which maintains a strong relationship with the Kremlin, has become one of the largest purchasers of Russian oil since the military action of Ukraine.

This has become a major point of dispute with Washington in recent months, after the US president failed to secure a ceasefire agreement with Moscow.

• In August, the US president imposed significant import duties on India to sanction its procurement of Russian oil.
• He accused Delhi of helping to finance Russia’s aggression in the conflict zone.
• India is facing extra import duties of 25%, on top of a standard of 25%.

New Delhi's Position and Oil Policy

The Indian administration has publicly stood firm, asserting it would not let the United States dictate its energy needs or interfere in its partnership with the Russian Federation, which originates from the Cold War era.

Moscow continues to be the largest supplier of arms to India.

Just before Trump's remarks, the Indian government said discussions with the US over commerce and tariffs were still in progress.

A official communication by the foreign ministry said the priority was to “safeguard the well-being of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario” and that all policies were guided by the imperative to diversify and secure India’s energy sources.

Advantages and Repercussions

India has gained substantial advantages from its acquisition of discounted crude from Russia since Russia's extensive military campaign of its neighbor in early 2022, becoming one of its top purchasers worldwide, second only to the Chinese market.

Nonetheless, it has led to a significant decline in US-India relations.

The White House has increasingly sought to accuse Indian leadership of bankrolling the Russian president, President Putin's operations against Ukraine, describing the conflict as “the Indian PM's conflict”.

Yet, on that same day the American leader praised enthusiastically of Modi. “Modi is a great man. He loves Trump,” he said.