US President Donald Trump said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him that his country would stop buying oil from Russia as part of efforts to reduce Moscow’s revenues in response to its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Trump said during a press conference at the White House this Wednesday (15) that he does not agree with India’s commercial relationship with Vladimir Putin’s regime, as “the purchase of oil from Russia allows (the country) to continue its absurd war”.
The American president declared that the Indian Prime Minister gave him guarantees that he will no longer buy Russian oil gradually, due to India’s dependence on this input.
India, along with China, has been one of the biggest importers of Russian crude oil, benefiting from discounted prices following Western sanctions. Trump had imposed tariffs on Indian exports to pressure the Asian country, avoiding similar measures against China due to ongoing trade tensions.
“Now my goal is for China to do the same,” Trump added of his intention for Beijing to stop being a buyer of Moscow’s oil.
In the past, India has long defended its imports of Russian oil as essential to national energy security, with Russia being its biggest supplier.
According to experts, a halt in imports would mark a significant geopolitical shift and influence other buyers of Russian oil.
Trump acknowledged that eliminating these imports will take time, but said the process is already underway.
The announcement comes months after the Republican threatened New Delhi with 50% tariffs on its exports, the same charge imposed on Brazil in July.
