President Donald Trump announced that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged to stop importing Russian oil. The declaration came as Washington intensified its efforts to cut Moscow’s energy income and push for an end to the war in Ukraine.
Trump told reporters that Modi assured him India would phase out Russian oil purchases “within a short period of time.” He called the decision “a big stop.”
US turns up diplomatic and trade pressure
The US president has used India’s energy ties with Russia as leverage in broader trade negotiations. So far, New Delhi has resisted, arguing that its energy policy protects national interests.
An Indian government spokesman confirmed that talks with Washington were “ongoing.” He said the US administration had expressed “interest in strengthening energy co-operation with India.”
“Our main priority is to protect Indian consumers from global price swings,” the spokesman said. “Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective.”
Washington seeks to block Moscow’s oil profits
Oil and gas remain Russia’s biggest export earners, with China, India and Turkey among its largest customers. Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said his next goal was to persuade China to take similar action. He described the effort as part of a wider plan to block Moscow’s energy revenues.
The Trump administration has also urged Japan to halt oil and gas imports from Russia. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he had delivered this message directly to visiting Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato.
India faces tariffs amid slow transition
Trump acknowledged that India could not immediately end Russian oil imports. “It will take a little bit of a process,” he said. “But the process will be over soon.”
Washington has imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, which Trump described as punishment for buying Russian oil and weapons. The tariffs, among the world’s highest, took effect in August. They include a 25% penalty on transactions connected to Russia, a key source of funding for its war in Ukraine.
Neutral stance adds strain to relations
Modi has defended India’s neutral position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict while maintaining ties with President Vladimir Putin. Indian officials have accused Washington of double standards, citing continued Western trade with Russia.
India depends on discounted Russian crude to sustain its rapidly growing economy, now the fifth largest in the world.
The dispute over Russian oil has strained relations between Trump and Modi. Still, Trump praised the Indian leader on Wednesday as a “great man.” Modi said last week that he had spoken with Trump and that both leaders “reviewed good progress achieved in trade negotiations.”
