India-Russia Energy Ties Firm Amid Trump’s Claim India Will Stop Buying Russian Oil

Russia has clarified that its energy cooperation with India aligns with New Delhi's national interests, asserting that overall bilateral trade relations are currently on an upswing. Russian envoy Denis Alipov made the remarks on Thursday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that India would stop procuring Russian crude oil.

When asked whether India would continue purchasing Russian crude in light of Trump's statement, Alipov said, "This is a question for the Indian government (to answer). The Indian government is dealing with the matter having in mind the national interests of this country in the first place." He added, "Our cooperation in the energy sector is very much in tune with those interests."

In response to Trump's comments, India reiterated that its energy strategy focuses on broadening and diversifying energy sources to adapt to market conditions. External Affairs Ministry (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it has consistently been New Delhi's priority to safeguard the interests of Indian consumers in a volatile energy scenario.

Jaiswal further emphasized that India's import policies are fully guided by national interests, while noting that efforts to expand energy ties with the United States have also been ongoing. "Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy," he said. "This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions," he added.

India's continued purchase of petroleum products from Russia, despite Western sanctions, has been a significant point of tension with Washington, contributing to a downturn in relations between the two countries.

In Washington, President Trump told reporters that PM Modi had assured him there would be no future purchases of Russian oil. He acknowledged that the transition could not happen immediately but said that the process has already begun. "It (process) has started. He can't do it immediately. It's a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over soon," Trump said.

This exchange underscores the delicate balancing act India maintains in its energy policy, aiming to meet domestic needs while navigating complex international pressures and strategic partnerships.