Trump says Modi has assured him India will not buy Russian oil
Key Takeaways
- Donald Trump claimed Indian PM Narendra Modi assured him India will stop buying oil from Russia.
- Trump intends to next pressure China to cease its purchases of Russian oil.
- India and China are the top buyers of Russian seaborne crude following Western sanctions.
- Trump had previously imposed tariffs on Indian exports to discourage its Russian oil buying.
- A potential halt by India, a major customer, would significantly impact Russia's energy revenues and global crude dynamics.
United States President Donald Trump claimed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave him an assurance that India will stop purchasing oil from Russia, escalating US efforts to choke off Moscow's energy revenues following the invasion of Ukraine. Trump stated this was a "big step" and immediately announced his intention to pressure China next to follow suit, as both nations are major importers of discounted Russian crude. This development comes after Trump had previously targeted India with tariffs on its exports to discourage these purchases, which Indian officials had defended as necessary for national energy security. Although Modi reportedly assured Trump of a halt, Trump acknowledged the process wouldn't be immediate, suggesting it would conclude soon. Russia is currently India's top oil supplier, providing roughly one-third of its imports, meaning a definitive stop would represent a major geopolitical and economic shift. Trump prefers leveraging bilateral relationships to enforce economic isolation over relying solely on multilateral sanctions.
