US President Donald Trump has once again asserted that India is moving to completely cut back its oil imports from Russia, highlighting that China is also making substantial reductions in its Russian oil purchases. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Malaysia on Saturday, Trump stated, “India is cutting back its Russian oil purchases entirely.”
In response to a question about discussing Russian oil imports with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump indicated that he may bring up the topic during their upcoming meeting. “I may discuss it, but you know China, you probably saw it today. China’s cutting back very substantially on the purchase of Russian oil,” Trump added.
Trump is scheduled to meet Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea. For several days, the Trump administration has claimed that India has promised to reduce its oil imports from Russia significantly.
However, India has maintained that its energy policy is shaped by its national interests, focusing on securing affordable and stable supplies for its consumers. The US government, meanwhile, has alleged that India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil is indirectly funding Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The strained relations between New Delhi and Washington have been further complicated by trade tensions. The US imposed a hefty 50% tariff on Indian goods, including a 25% additional duty on India’s purchase of Russian crude oil, which India has called “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.”
In another comment, Trump addressed his earlier remarks about resolving conflicts between India and Pakistan, asserting that he believed peace talks between India and Pakistan would be difficult but that the Russia-Ukraine conflict would be easier to resolve. He remarked, “If you look at India and Pakistan, I thought any one of the deals I’ve already done would have been more difficult than Russia and Ukraine, but it didn’t work out that way.”
Since May 10, Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for helping broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, following intense military actions between the two countries. However, India maintains that the ceasefire agreement was the result of direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the Indian and Pakistani armed forces, not external mediation.
The tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians, prompting India to launch Operation Sindoor on May 7 against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. After four days of intense cross-border strikes, India and Pakistan agreed to cease hostilities on May 10.
Despite the ongoing diplomatic tensions, Trump’s comments continue to stir controversy as both India and the US navigate their complex relationship amid global energy and geopolitical challenges.
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