A fresh geopolitical debate has erupted after Russia publicly dismissed former US President Donald Trump’s assertion that India had agreed to halt its oil imports from Moscow as part of a new trade understanding with Washington.
Days after Trump announced the India–US trade agreement and claimed that New Delhi would stop purchasing Russian crude, the Russian government made it clear that it sees no shift in India’s long-standing energy policy. Moscow stressed that India remains a sovereign nation capable of making its own economic and strategic decisions.
Responding sharply, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said there was no basis to believe India would alter its energy ties under external pressure. She criticised attempts by Washington to influence the trade choices of independent countries, calling such efforts neither new nor effective.
“The US President trying to dictate who an independent nation like India can trade with is not new. Russia has no reason to believe our Indian friends have changed their approach,” Zakharova said. She underlined that energy cooperation between India and Russia continues to be mutually beneficial and plays a stabilising role in global energy markets.
Zakharova further stated that Russia remains committed to close collaboration with India in the hydrocarbons sector, adding that Indian purchases of Russian oil help ensure energy security amid global uncertainty.
While Zakharova expressed confidence in India’s continued engagement, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov offered a more neutral response, noting that India is free to buy oil from any source it chooses. He also confirmed that Russia has received no official communication from India indicating any intention to stop importing Russian crude.
Trump, while unveiling the trade deal on February 2, had said reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods entering the US would be reduced to 18 per cent. He also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to end energy trade with Russia — a statement New Delhi has neither confirmed nor addressed so far.
India, however, did acknowledge the tariff reduction but remained silent on Trump’s remarks regarding oil purchases. According to Russian officials, no indication has emerged suggesting a change in India’s stance on Russian energy imports.
