WASHINGTON, Aug. 2, 2025 — President Donald Trump indicated Friday that India might be halting oil purchases from Russia, calling it a “good step” if true, while New Delhi maintained its stance on sovereign energy policy guided by national interests.
## India’s Oil Policy Under Scrutiny as Trump Hints at Russian Halt
India has clarified its energy sourcing practices are driven by market dynamics and national interests, amidst U.S. pressure regarding Russian oil imports.
What is India’s stance on Russian oil imports? India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated Friday that the nation’s energy purchases are guided by market conditions and national interests, and the government is unaware of any specific decisions by Indian oil companies to pause Russian imports.
President Trump made his remarks while speaking with ANI news agency in Washington, D.C., on July 31, 2025. He was responding to questions about potential penalties for India and whether he would speak with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“I understand that India is no longer going to be buying oil from Russia,” Trump said. “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…”
During a weekly media briefing on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed reports of some Indian oil companies ceasing Russian oil imports. He reiterated India’s approach, stating, “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.”
These comments followed statements from U.S. officials, including President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had criticized India’s continued imports of discounted Russian oil amid Western sanctions related to the Ukraine war.
Regarding bilateral ties, New Delhi expressed optimism on Friday that its relationship with the United States will continue to progress, with a focus on the substantive agenda both nations have committed to.
Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, Trump announced a 25% tariff on Indian goods and penalties for oil imports from Russia. This move came despite hopes for an interim trade deal between India and the U.S. that could have potentially averted higher tariffs.
Trump had stated on Wednesday that trade negotiations with New Delhi were ongoing. He highlighted India as a country that imposes high tariffs on U.S. goods.
“We’re talking to them now. We’ll see what happens,” Trump told ANI when asked if the U.S. was open to tariff negotiations. “Again, India was the highest or just about the highest tariff nation in the world, one of the highest, 100 points, 150 points or percentages. So India was one of the highest in the world. They had 175 per cent and higher than that.”
The U.S. President characterized Prime Minister Modi as a “friend” but pointed to the U.S. trade deficit with India. He suggested that the exact tariff level in an India-U.S. deal was not critically important.
“As you know, Prime Minister Modi is a friend of mine, but they don’t do very much business in terms of business with us,” Trump said. “They sell a lot to us, but we don’t buy from them. You know why? Because the tariff is so high. They have one of the highest tariffs in the world. Now they’re willing to cut it very substantially. But we’ll see what happens. We’re talking to India now.”
In India, the government informed Parliament on Thursday that President Trump had announced reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods. The government is currently assessing the impact of these developments and will take necessary measures to protect national interests.
Key takeaways:
- U.S. President Donald Trump suggested India may stop buying Russian oil.
- India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated its energy policy is based on market dynamics and national interest.
- The U.S. has criticized India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil.
- Earlier, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods and penalties for Russian oil imports.
- India is reviewing the impact of U.S. tariffs and will act to safeguard its national interest.
