The Russian government have said they haven’t received any information from India indicating that they
Trump on Monday announced on his social media platform ‘Truth Social’ that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to halt oil purchases from Russia in exchange for reduced US tariffs.
Reuters quoted the Kremlin saying, “Our strategic partnership with India is most important.” Peskov added that there has been no official communication suggesting any change in energy cooperation and spoke about Moscow’s intent to continue developing ties with India.
“We respect bilateral US-Indian relations,” Peskov said. “But we attach no less importance to the development of an advanced strategic partnership between Russia and India. This is the most important thing for us, and we intend to further develop our bilateral relations with Delhi.”
US-India Trade Deal
On Monday, Trump announced a trade deal with India that cuts US tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 50%, in exchange for India putting a stop to Russian oil purchases and reducing trade barriers. Trump said India would now buy oil from the US and potentially Venezuela.
“Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced Reciprocal Tariff, lowering it from 25 per cent to 18 per cent,” Trump posted.
India’s History With Russian Oil
India imports around 1.5 million barrels of Russian crude per day, over one-third of its total imports. India is the second-largest buyer of Russian oil. The Indian Government has defended these imports, calling them essential for the country’s energy security.
Historically, India’s relationship with Russia focused more on defence than energy. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India increased purchases of discounted Russian oil, helping its energy supply while supporting Russia’s economy.
In December 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a visit to New Delhi that Russia was ready to continue “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India despite US pressure.
Will India Now Buy Oil From Venezuela?
Top Indian government sources also said the trade deal does not compromise the interests of Indian farmers. India will continue buying crude oil from countries not under sanctions. Sensitive sectors like soybean and dairy will remain protected.
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