India on Thursday categorically denied US President Donald Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently assured him over a telephone call that India would stop buying oil from Russia.

The Indian government clarified that no such telephonic conversation or discussion had taken place between the two leaders recently. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that there was no phone call between PM Modi and President Trump on this matter.​

President Trump had claimed during a White House press briefing that he had spoken with PM Modi, who assured him that India would cease purchasing Russian oil within a short period of time. Trump framed this as a big step towards isolating Moscow amidst the Russia-Ukraine conflict and said the process would take some time but would be completed soon.

Trump added that such a move by India would ease efforts to end the war and touted his long-standing friendship with PM Modi, suggesting a possible meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.​

In response, the Indian government reiterated its long-standing position on energy imports, emphasising that India’s decisions regarding oil and gas procurement are driven solely by the interests of Indian consumers and national energy security, not external political pressures.

The Ministry of External Affairs stressed that India is a significant importer of oil and gas, and its policies prioritise stable prices and assured supplies. India aims to diversify and broad-base its energy sources according to market conditions to ensure energy security in a volatile scenario.​

The MEA also noted the ongoing efforts to expand energy cooperation with the United States, highlighting a decade-long steady progress in energy procurement from the US and continued discussions under the current administration to deepen this cooperation.

The US has shown interest in enhancing energy trade with India, including crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas, as part of ensuring energy affordability and reliability for both countries.​

Trump’s remarks came amid his broader strategy to pressure major consumers of Russian oil, including India and China, to cut off Moscow’s crucial energy revenues, which fund its military actions in Ukraine. Despite these pressures, India has maintained that its energy procurement decisions are based on national interests and have not acknowledged any commitment to halt Russian oil imports.​

India firmly denied any recent telephonic discussion with President Trump regarding a halt in Russian oil purchases, maintained its independent energy policy focus on domestic priorities, and continues active engagement with the US on expanding bilateral energy cooperation.​

Agencies