Trump renews claim of call with PM Modi, warns India over Russian oil imports; MEA refutes claim

US President Donald Trump has once again claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi told him India would no longer purchase Russian oil, a statement immediately denied by New Delhi. The exchange has revived long-standing tensions between the two nations over India’s energy ties with Moscow.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he had spoken to PM Modi, who “won’t be doing the Russian oil thing anymore”. The President added that if India continued such purchases, it would face “massive tariffs”. His comments follow similar remarks made earlier this month, when he asserted that India had already reduced Russian oil imports.

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India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) swiftly dismissed Trump’s remarks. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s energy policy “has always been guided by the interests of Indian consumers and the need for stable prices and secure supplies.” He stressed that India makes independent decisions based on its economic priorities, not external pressure.

The government has also clarified that it has no record of any recent phone call between PM Modi and President Trump discussing oil imports. Officials reiterated that India continues to diversify its energy sources – including supplies from the Middle East, Africa and the United States to reduce reliance on any single partner.

According to market analytics firm Kpler, India’s imports of Russian crude could rise by as much as 20 per cent in October 2025, reaching around 1.9 million barrels per day. Industry executives told foreign media that refiners have already booked shipments from Russia for November and December, suggesting no immediate reduction in purchases. While the White House has claimed that India has halved its Russian oil imports, no official Indian data supports that figure. Analysts believe any change in import levels will only become visible once year-end trade data is compiled.

Washington has long expressed unease over India’s continued purchases of Russian oil, arguing that the revenue supports Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The US has already imposed tariffs of up to 50 per cent on some Indian exports and warned that additional duties could follow if energy trade with Russia persists.

Trump said, “If they continue with the Russian oil, they’ll pay massive tariffs, and they don’t want that.” The comment, though politically charged, underscores how energy trade has become a recurring fault line in the India-US partnership.

India is the world’s third-largest oil importer and depends on imports for about 85 per cent of its energy needs. The country turned to discounted Russian crude following the start of the Ukraine war to cushion domestic fuel prices and contain inflation.

Government sources maintain that India’s primary focus remains energy security, affordability and market stability. New Delhi’s approach, they say, is pragmatic – balancing geopolitical considerations with the practical need to supply affordable fuel to its 1.4 billion citizens.