Web Desk (MNN); The Kremlin said on Tuesday that it has received no indication from India that it plans to stop purchasing Russian oil, despite US President Donald Trump’s claim following a new trade agreement with New Delhi.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, including AFP, that Moscow has not heard any official statement from India on the issue so far. His remarks came after President Trump said he had reached a deal to reduce tariffs on Indian goods and claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to halt purchases of Russian oil amid the Ukraine war.
India’s imports of Russian oil have increased sharply since Russia launched its full-scale military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. Western sanctions have pushed Moscow to sell oil at discounted rates, making India one of its largest buyers.
Ukraine and its Western allies have been trying to curb Russia’s oil revenues, which provide billions of dollars critical to supporting its economy and military operations.
Trump announced that tariffs on Indian goods would be reduced to 18 per cent. Earlier, he had imposed 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on several Indian products, along with an additional 25 per cent levy linked to India’s oil purchases from Russia.
While Prime Minister Modi welcomed Trump’s phone call and thanked him for easing tariffs, he did not mention any commitment to stop buying Russian oil.
According to data from 2024, Russia supplied nearly 36 per cent of India’s total crude oil imports, amounting to about 1.8 million barrels per day at discounted prices. However, following the imposition of US tariffs, India’s monthly oil imports from Russia reportedly fell by 38 per cent, local media said, citing figures from India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
During a visit to New Delhi in late 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin had assured India of uninterrupted oil supplies.
Trade between Russia and India reached $68.7 billion in the 2024-25 financial year, nearly six times higher than pre-pandemic levels. The trade relationship remains heavily dominated by Russian energy exports, while Indian exports to Russia stood at less than $5 billion.
