Modi Agreed to Reduce India’s Oil Purchases From Russia: Trump

President Donald Trump said on Oct. 21 that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has agreed to scale back India’s imports of Russian oil in response to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he spoke with Modi about the matter during a phone call on Oct. 21. He said their conversation primarily focused on U.S.–India trade relations.

“We just have a good relationship, and he’s not going to buy much oil from Russia,” he said. “He wants to see that war end as much as I do. He wants to see the war end with Russia–Ukraine.

“And, as you know, they’re not going to be buying too much oil. So they’ve cut it way back and they’re continuing to cut it way back.”

Modi took to social media to thank Trump for his warm Diwali greetings and the phone call, but provided no details about what was discussed during their call.

“On this festival of lights, may our two great democracies continue to illuminate the world with hope and stand united against terrorism in all its forms,” Modi stated in a post on X.

On Oct. 19, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that the United States would maintain its “massive tariffs” on imports from India if it continued to buy Russian oil.

Trump said last week that he had received assurances from Modi that India would stop purchasing oil from Russia.

“That’s a big step,” he told reporters in the Oval Office during a news conference on Oct. 15. “Now [I’ve] got to get China to do the same thing.”

On Aug. 6, Trump imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on imports from India, bringing the total rate to 50 percent. The president said the move was in response to India’s purchase of Russian oil.

India has become a major market for Russian oil as Russia faces sanctions and export controls from Western nations aimed at pressuring Moscow to end its war in Ukraine, which has been ongoing since 2022.

Before Russia invaded Ukraine, India’s annual crude oil imports from Russia hovered at about $1 billion. Since the war began, imports have skyrocketed, reaching $25.5 billion in 2022, $48.6 billion in 2023, and $52.7 billion in 2024, according to the U.N. Comtrade database.

Experts at the Observer Research Foundation think tank have estimated that India accounts for more than one-third of Russia’s crude exports, behind China’s 50 percent share.

“Indian refiners have temporarily ramped up Russian crude imports, without any visible signs of concern emerging from the political leadership,” the foundation stated in a July report.

Trump signaled on Sept. 7 that his administration is ready to move forward with a second phase of sanctions against Russia, as negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine stalled and Moscow intensified its attacks on Kyiv.

Emel Akan contributed to this report.