Trump Claims India Has Halted Russian Oil Purchases, Repeats Role in India-Pakistan Ceasefire
Former U.S. President Donald Trump asserted on Friday that India has “more or less stopped” buying oil from Russia, reiterating claims that New Delhi has...
Former U.S. President Donald Trump asserted on Friday that India has “more or less stopped” buying oil from Russia, reiterating claims that New Delhi has “de-escalated” its crude oil imports from Moscow. Trump made the remarks while speaking to the media during a bilateral lunch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“India will not be buying oil from Russia, they have already de-escalated and they have more or less stopped,” Trump said. “They are pulling back. They have bought about 38% of the oil, and they won’t be doing it anymore.”
India Maintains Diversification Strategy
India, in response on Thursday, clarified that it is “broad-basing and diversifying” its energy sources to meet market conditions. The statement came hours after Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him India would halt purchases of Russian crude.
Washington has repeatedly criticized India for allegedly financing Vladimir Putin’s war efforts through continued imports of Russian oil. Tensions have escalated after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, including a 25% additional duty linked to India’s crude oil purchases from Russia. India described the move as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”
Trump Reiterates Claims on India-Pakistan Conflict
During the same interaction, Trump also repeated his long-standing assertion that he played a key role in resolving the May conflict between India and Pakistan.
“The Prime Minister of Pakistan said I saved millions of lives by interceding … you look at Pakistan and India as an example that would have been a bad one for two nuclear nations,” Trump claimed.
Since May 10, when Trump announced via social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after talks mediated by Washington, he has frequently taken credit for brokering the understanding.
However, Indian officials maintain that the cessation of hostilities was achieved through direct discussions between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan.
The military action, Operation Sindoor, launched by India on May 7, targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. The ceasefire understanding came after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.
Implications
Trump’s statements underline continuing U.S.-India tensions over energy imports and trade policy, while also highlighting the political narrative he has built around his involvement in South Asian security. Analysts suggest that such claims, while largely symbolic, could influence perceptions in Washington, Delhi, and Islamabad regarding bilateral and regional security dynamics.