US President Donald Trump has renewed his warning that India could face “massive” tariffs unless it curbs its purchases of Russian oil, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally assured him
that New Delhi would stop such imports.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “PM Modi)told me, ‘I’m not going to be doing the Russian oil thing.’ But if they keep doing it, they’ll be paying massive tariffs.”
When asked about the Indian government’s response that it was unaware of any recent conversation between him and PM Modi, Trump replied, “But if they want to say that, then they’ll just continue to pay massive tariffs — and they don’t want to do that.”
His latest remarks come after his unusual statement in the Oval Office on Wednesday, where Trump said Modi had assured him that India would stop buying oil from Russia, calling it “a big step.”
Trump Says Modi Assured Him of Halt
Donald Trump’s latest comments on India’s oil trade with Russia have sparked global attention, with the US President asserting that the energy trade would soon come to an end. “…I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big step,” Trump had said.
Also Read: ‘No Phone Call Between PM Modi, Trump Yesterday’: MEA Reacts To US President’s Claim
Outlining a possible timeline, Trump added that the shift would not happen instantly but “within a short period of time,” describing it as “a little bit of a process.”
Reiterating his claim during a bilateral lunch with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump said, “Well, India is not going to be buying Russian oil anymore.”
No Phone Call Between Modi And Trump: India
Hours after US President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him India would stop buying Russian crude oil, New Delhi had clarified that it is focused on “broad-basing and diversifying” its energy sourcing to suit market conditions.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said he was not aware of any recent phone conversation between the two leaders. He added that India’s oil imports are guided by the need to safeguard consumer interests amid a “volatile” global energy market.
“Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy. This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions,” Jaiswal said.
