Russia Responds to Trump’s Claims on Indian Oil Purchases

The Russian government remarked on President Donald Trump’s assertion that he convinced India to significantly cut its oil purchases from Russia. They expressed skepticism about Trump’s comments and ridiculed India’s recent offer of military supplies as a ploy to keep financing President Vladimir Putin’s conflict in Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced, “Today I have committed to not buying oil from Russia,” a statement followed by Trump’s declaration that this was a “big stop,” implying that Modi was still contemplating minor reductions in oil purchases, which isn’t entirely accurate.

Despite India currently trailing China in Russian oil purchases, it was actually one of the Kremlin’s major clients for some years after the invasion of Ukraine began. Before that point, India had barely sourced oil from Russia, but with Western buyers stepping back, Russia slashed its prices to attract buyers.

Moreover, Trump had imposed a 25% general tariff on Indian goods, along with another punitive 25% on Russian oil purchases. Analysts suggest these tariffs effectively erase most savings India would gain from purchasing Russian oil, especially as discounts are diminishing.

India’s motivation to continue purchasing Russian oil isn’t solely economic. The country is also wary of jeopardizing its long-standing and amicable relationship with Russia, which has been in place since the Soviet era. Traditionally, Russia has been a primary supplier of military equipment to India, and this was cited by Russian officials as part of their response to Trump’s commentary.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak conveyed confidence that India would maintain its commercial ties with Russia, despite Trump’s remarks. He said, “We are sure that our resources remain in demand and economically viable.” This was reported by TASS, the Russian state news agency.

Novak leaned on media signals regarding India’s purchasing decisions and added, “Our partners emphasize that no one can dictate to them and they will choose their own path.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Trump’s comments regarding Indian oil and his mention of pressuring China as little more than a bad joke. He stated they keep faith in the official positions articulated by India’s Ministry of External Affairs and China’s government.

Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, underscored that India’s deep-rooted partnership with Russia makes it unlikely for India to halt its oil purchases, as such a decision could severely impact Russia’s economy. He asserted, “Our oil supply is crucial for the Indian economy and its people’s welfare.”

Alipov also pointed out India’s reliance on Russia for military supplies, hinting that more advanced weaponry could be available depending on New Delhi’s strategy. He emphasized that the collaboration with Russia has evolved beyond a simple buyer-seller relationship to include co-production and technology-sharing.

He noted that roughly 70% of India’s military equipment is of Russian origin, which he claims was proven effective in various conflicts.

For instance, in the Operation Sindoor conflict—triggered by a terrorist attack against Indian citizens in Kashmir—both India and Pakistan used Russian military hardware. Israel and China played significant roles in the defense landscape during this clash, raising questions about the efficacy of Russian weaponry.

Despite shifting global alliances, Alipov projected that defense relations between India and Russia will only deepen. He mentioned ongoing projects like joint production of advanced missiles and aircraft, as well as discussions around drones and modern radar systems.