Despite mounting pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, Indian officials have confirmed that the country will not halt its oil imports from Russia. The clarification comes amid threats of expanded U.S. sanctions on countries maintaining energy ties with Moscow and follows speculation that India was preparing to scale back purchases of discounted Russian crude.
Speaking to media earlier this week, Trump suggested India’s potential withdrawal from Russian energy would be “a good step,” claiming he had heard such a decision was imminent. However, Indian government sources swiftly pushed back, stating no such directive had been issued. According to officials quoted by ANI, Indian refineries continue to operate based on economic factors such as price, grade, logistics, and supply inventories—not political pressure.
The Trump administration had announced a new 25 percent tariff on all Indian goods, paired with additional penalties tied to India’s continued arms and energy trade with Russia. Trump also set an August 8 deadline for Russia to halt its war in Ukraine or face even tougher global sanctions, including on its energy partners.
While some international reports hinted at Indian state-owned refiners pausing Russian imports amid tariff threats and declining discounts, Indian sources told the New York Times that no change in policy had occurred. One senior official emphasized that India’s oil contracts with Russia are long-term and cannot be altered overnight.
Officials noted that Russian crude is not directly sanctioned by the U.S. or EU, but rather falls under the G7-EU price-cap framework. Indian purchases, they said, remain legal and within international regulations. They also argued that India’s continued imports have helped stabilize global energy prices. Without India absorbing discounted Russian oil, officials claimed, prices could have exceeded the March 2022 high of $137 per barrel, worsening inflation worldwide.
Russia currently supplies around 35 percent of India’s oil needs, making it the country’s largest energy partner. Defending its strategy, India’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated the importance of securing affordable energy for domestic consumption and noted the country’s “steady and time-tested partnership” with Russia.
Trump has repeatedly voiced frustration over India’s close energy and defense ties with Moscow. In a recent post on Truth Social, he accused India of being Russia’s top energy buyer and added dismissively, “They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.”
Meanwhile, the geopolitical stakes continue to escalate, as Ukrainian forces reported hitting multiple Russian oil facilities, including a refinery and drone base, in a recent cross-border strike. These developments highlight the intensifying global tension surrounding Russia’s war in Ukraine and the pressure mounting on its key trading partners, including India.
