Trump Claims PM Modi Assured India Will Stop Buying Russian Oil: Calls It A ‘Big Step’ In Global Pressure On Moscow

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured him that India will stop buying oil from Russia, a move he described as “a big step” toward increasing global pressure on Moscow.

Trump made the remarks during a joint news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel at the Oval Office, where he discussed the administration’s efforts to tackle violent crime. Responding to a question from ANI on whether he viewed India as a reliable partner, Trump said,

“Yeah, sure. He’s (PM Narendra Modi) a friend of mine. We have a great relationship... I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big stop. Now we’ve got to get China to do the same thing.”

‘We Were Not Happy About India Buying Oil From Russia’

Reiterating his disapproval of India’s energy imports from Russia, Trump said that such purchases indirectly helped Moscow continue its war against Ukraine.

“We were not happy with him buying oil from Russia, because that lets Russia continue on with this ridiculous war, where they’ve lost a million and a half people — soldiers mostly,” he said.

Trump’s remarks come as India has consistently defended its oil imports from Russia, arguing that the purchases are necessary for economic stability and energy security. Despite persistent pressure from Washington and its allies, New Delhi has maintained that it will act in the best interests of its energy needs.

‘A War That Should Have Never Started’

Calling the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict “a war that should have never started,” Trump said Moscow’s prolonged involvement has been costly.

“It’s a war that Russia should have won in the first week, and they’re going into the fourth year. And I want to see it stop,” he said.

He added that Prime Minister Modi’s assurance represents a significant diplomatic breakthrough in aligning global partners against Moscow’s actions.

Trump Draws Parallels to Middle East Diplomacy

Comparing his recent diplomatic efforts in the Middle East to resolving the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Trump said,

“You know, that is relatively easy compared to what we just did over the last week in the Middle East. Middle East was 3,000 years, and we got it done. This is three years.”
Expressing optimism about an eventual resolution, Trump said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin also wants the conflict to end.

“I think we’ll get it done. I think that Putin, President Putin, I think he wants to get it done. We’ll see,” he added.

 

‘Great Relationship’ with PM Modi

Throughout the interaction, Trump repeatedly emphasized his personal rapport with Modi.

“He’s a friend of mine. We have a great relationship. He just said that two days ago, as you know,” Trump noted.

While the US continues to call on India to diversify its energy sources away from Russia, Trump’s remarks signal a renewed effort to engage New Delhi as a key partner in shaping the post-war global order.

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