Trump Pressures India on Russian Oil Imports as Trade Talks Intensify

Washington – US President Donald Trump reiterated his claim that India has “de-escalated” on buying Russian oil, stating that India is “not going to be buying Russian oil anymore” and has “more or less stopped; they are pulling back” during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday.

While speaking to the media during a bilateral lunch with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Friday (October 17, 2025), Trump said, “India will not be buying oil from Russia, they have already de-escalated and they have more or less stopped. They are pulling back. They have bought about 38% of the oil, and they won’t be doing it anymore.”

Trump on Wednesday asserted that he has been “assured” that India won’t be buying oil from Russia, while adding that he understood that it couldn’t be done immediately.
“He assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia…You can’t do it immediately. It’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon, and all we want from President Putin is…stop this,” he noted.

Trump has repeatedly asserted that India’s reduction or cessation of Russian oil imports would cut off a vital source of funds for Russia, weakening its position in the war against Ukraine.

He framed India’s expected decision as a big step in international efforts to marginalize Russia economically and prompt a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
“Within a short period of time, they will not be buying oil from Russia, and they’ll go back to Russia after the war’s over,” he emphasised. Trump also described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “great man” and India as “an incredible country.”

On Thursday, India formally rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim of having a recent telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding Russian oil purchases.

When asked whether there was a conversation between PM Modi and the US President, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded during a weekly media briefing: “Regarding the comment from the US on energy issue, we have already issued a statement, which you can refer to. As for the telephonic conversation, I can say that there has been no discussion between the Prime Minister and President Trump”.

While India has substantially increased its Russian oil imports in recent years, China remains Moscow’s largest energy customer, accounting for a significant portion of Russia’s oil and gas exports. In August 2025, China was by far the largest importer of Russian fossil fuels, responsible for about 40% of total Russian fossil fuel exports by value, with India in second place at approximately 25%.

In August 2025, the Trump administration imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods specifically in response to India’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil, raising the cumulative tariff on many Indian exports to 50 per cent.

Trump’s statements regarding India’s Russian oil imports and tariffs have come at a crucial time, as India’s trade negotiating team is currently in Washington for the next round of discussions with US officials.

On Wednesday, India’s Commerce Ministry announced that the country can increase imports of crude oil and natural gas from the US by $12–$13 billion annually without needing to alter the configuration of Indian refineries. The government emphasized a strong commitment to diversifying India’s energy sources, provided US energy products are available at competitive prices.

Trade talks between India and the United States resumed in Washington just days after the newly-appointed US ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, held meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi. Ambassador Gor’s consultations focused on reinforcing bilateral ties, discussing ongoing tariff and energy disputes, and preparing the groundwork for the current round of negotiations.

India’s crude oil imports from Russia have seen a significant surge in the first half of October 2025, reversing a declining trend that persisted from July through September quarter.