The Indian foreign ministry has stated it is “unaware” of a call where US President Donald Trump alleged that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to cease buying Russian oil.
On Wednesday, Trump said his Indian counterpart had “assured me today” that it would end Russian oil imports, a step the United States has advocated for in an effort to boost economic pressure on the Kremlin to halt the conflict in Ukraine.
However, when questioned about the call on Thursday, an Indian government spokesperson expressed skepticism regarding Trump’s statement, noting that they were “unaware of any discussion between the two leaders” occurring the day before.
The Indian government previously mentioned that talks with the United States were still “in progress” regarding its acquisition of Russian oil.
India has emerged as a crucial energy buyer for Russia since the war began, helping the Kremlin cope with the effects of its main export market, where allies in Ukraine have reduced oil and gas imports.
The administration of Donald Trump has applied public and diplomatic pressure on India to cease its support for the Russian energy sector, aiming to further isolate the Kremlin economically and bring the conflict to a close. Russia initiated its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Trump mentioned that he had been assured by Modi that India would stop its buying “in a short period of time.”
In its first reply, the Indian government did not explicitly deny that the call between Trump and Modi occurred. It stated: “Our continuous focus is on protecting the interests of Indian consumers in a fluctuating energy environment. Our import policies are entirely based on this goal.”
The Indian government’s second reply on Thursday adds more doubts about whether an agreement has been reached between Washington and Delhi.
News has reached out to the White House and the Department of State for a response.
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