India-Russia Oil Imports: Kremlin Responds to Trump’s Claim of Halted Purchases

Moscow has responded to claims made by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who alleged that India has stopped importing Russian oil. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov clarified that Russia has received no official communication from India indicating a halt in crude oil purchases.

Kremlin Comments on Russian Oil Purchases
Speaking to journalists in Moscow, Peskov addressed reports following a new trade agreement announced between the U.S. and India. The deal reportedly includes a reduced reciprocal tariff of 18% on Indian goods, the lowest in the Indian subcontinent.

Peskov said, “So far, we have not heard from Delhi whether the trade agreement includes any commitment from India to reduce imports of Russian energy.” His comments come amid speculation on whether closer U.S.-India trade ties could affect India’s longstanding energy relationship with Moscow.

Russia Intends to Maintain Strong Ties with India
In recent years, India has significantly increased its purchase of discounted Russian crude, making Russia one of its top oil suppliers. Peskov emphasized that Moscow intends to continue strengthening bilateral relations with India regardless of any foreign policy shifts. “We want to continue developing our bilateral relations with Delhi in every possible way, and that is exactly what we are doing,” he said.

Trump’s Allegation
On Monday, Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to halt oil purchases from Russia, which would allow the U.S. to reduce tariffs on Indian goods from 25% to 18%. Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Spoke with PM Modi on Monday and discussed various issues, including trade, ending the war in Ukraine, and buying more oil from the U.S. than from Venezuela.” He also alleged that India was aiding Russia in its war against Ukraine by continuing oil imports.