India Free To Buy Oil From Any Country: Russia Reacts To Trump’s Venezuelan Oil Pitch

New Delhi: The Kremlin on Wednesday downplayed assertions by US President Donald Trump that India has agreed to halt purchases of Russian crude, stating that New Delhi is "free to buy oil from any country" and that diversifying suppliers is a standard market practice, as per news reports.

Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov addressed the growing speculation surrounding a reported trade deal between Washington and New Delhi. The deal allegedly involves India pivoting away from Russian energy in favour of American and Venezuelan supplies.

Adding further, Peskov, while responding to a question about Trump’s recent claim that PM Modi had agreed to stop buying Russian oil and instead shift purchases to the United States and possibly Venezuela, he stated that Moscow is fully aware that Russia is not, and never has been, India's sole source of oil and petroleum products. 

He noted that India has a long-standing history of sourcing these supplies from various other nations, and therefore, the Kremlin views recent reports of India diversifying its energy imports as nothing new, stated news reports.

India-US Trade deal

The diplomatic friction began earlier this week when President Trump on Monday announced via social media platform that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to a "historic" trade agreement. 

In the trade deal, Trump announced reduced reciprocal tariffs on India from 25% to 18%, following a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Trump announced the bilateral trade agreement in a post on Truth Social, ending months of speculation and tussling between the two nations over tariffs, and marking a new beginning in their economic partnership.

In return, India has committed to eliminating its tariffs and non-tariff barriers on US products. "Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi, and as per his request, we agreed to a trade deal between the United States and India," Trump said in a social media post.

While the White House has hailed this as a victory for "energy independence," the Kremlin maintains that no official notification has been received from the Indian government regarding a cessation of trade.

Russia-India Relations "Most Important"

While acknowledging India’s sovereign right to manage its energy security, Moscow emphasised the depth of the "privileged strategic partnership" between the two nations.

Peskov reiterated that Russia intends to "further develop" its bilateral relations with Delhi, regardless of U.S. pressure.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak added that Moscow is "closely monitoring" the situation but remains confident that Russian energy will always find demand in a balanced global market.

Importance of energy partnership

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova emphasised the importance of the energy partnership, noting that the trade in hydrocarbons is mutually advantageous and plays a vital role in stabilizing the global energy market. 

She reaffirmed Moscow's commitment to maintaining a robust partnership with India in this sector.

Russia imports stats

India relies on imports for approximately 88% of its crude oil requirements. While Russian oil represented only a fraction of India's energy mix prior to 2022, its market share spiked significantly after Western nations distanced themselves from Moscow. 

However, recent figures from Kpler indicate a cooling trend, with imports from Russia dropping to roughly 1.1 million barrels per day by early January 2026.