The Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed US President Donald Trump assertion that India would halt purchases of Russian oil following a newly announced trade agreement with Washington, stating that it has received no such communication from New Delhi. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia has not held any discussions with India regarding the suspension of oil imports.
According to Russian media reports, Peskov emphasised that Moscow remains committed to strengthening its relationship with India “in every possible way,” reaffirming Russia’s intent to continue strategic and energy cooperation with New Delhi.
Trump’s Trade Deal Claim
On Monday, President Trump announced that he had spoken with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and revealed a trade agreement between India and the United States. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the conversation covered trade matters as well as efforts to “end the war between Russia and Ukraine.”
Trump claimed that Prime Minister Modi had agreed to stop importing Russian oil and increase purchases from the United States and possibly Venezuela, suggesting that such steps could contribute to ending the Ukraine conflict.
However, while India has confirmed the trade deal with the US, it has not made any public statement about discontinuing Russian crude imports. Government sources told India Today that India would continue sourcing oil from global markets that are not under sanctions, based on prevailing market conditions.
Also read : IndiGo Cancels International Flights Till Feb 2026 Amid Iran Security Concerns
Officials noted that India had avoided Venezuelan crude during the period of sanctions but may reconsider purchases following their removal. Peskov reiterated that Russia has not received any formal message from India indicating a halt in oil imports.
India currently imports around 88 per cent of its crude oil requirements. Prior to 2022, Russian oil formed only a small portion of India’s imports, but India emerged as the largest buyer of discounted Russian crude after Western nations reduced purchases following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Data from analytics firm Kpler shows that India’s imports of Russian crude declined to approximately 1.1 million barrels per day in early January, down from higher levels seen in mid-2025.