News Brief
Trump Says Modi Promised To Stop Russian Oil Purchase — India Says No Such Call Happened
Narendra Modi and Donald Trump
The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday (16 October) denied that any phone conversation took place between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, contradicting Trump's claim that Modi had personally assured him India would stop purchasing Russian crude oil.
"Regarding the comment from the US on the energy issue, we have already issued a statement, which you can refer to. As for the telephonic conversation, I can say that there has been no discussion between the Prime Minister and President Trump," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said today," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly briefing.
The contradiction came hours after Trump told reporters at the White House that Modi had assured him India would cease buying Russian oil "within a short period of time".
Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump described it as "a big step" and said the process had already begun, though he acknowledged it couldn't happen immediately.
The last confirmed phone call between the two leaders took place on 9 October, when Modi congratulated Trump on the Gaza peace plan and they discussed trade negotiations.
Following Trump's latest claims, the MEA issued a statement emphasising that the country's energy import decisions are guided entirely by protecting consumer interests in a volatile energy scenario.
Russia currently supplies approximately 1.6 million barrels per day to India, accounting for roughly one-third of the country's total crude oil imports.
Trump's claim comes as diplomatic tensions between Washington and New Delhi have escalated after the US doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent in August as punishment for Russian oil purchases.
India imported approximately $2.92 billion worth of Russian crude in September alone, making it the second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels behind China.
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