Saturday, March 29, 2025
“If India Doesn’t Stop Buying Oil from Russia, There Will Be Consequences,” Trump Warns Modi on Diwali
Date: Monday, October 20, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump has once again warned India against continuing to purchase crude oil from Russia, threatening to impose heavy tariffs if New Delhi fails to comply. Trump reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously assured him that India would halt oil imports from Moscow — a claim the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has denied knowledge of.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said, “Prime Minister Modi told me not to do the Russian oil deal. But if they go ahead, they will pay very heavy tariffs.” Earlier last week, Trump had claimed from the Oval Office that Modi had promised to stop importing oil from Russia, citing the purchases as a direct way of funding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war efforts in Ukraine.
“The United States is not happy that India is buying crude oil from Russia,” Trump said. “Such purchases are helping Putin finance his war, which has already taken hundreds of thousands of lives.”
Trump added that while he values his friendship with Modi, Washington could not turn a blind eye to such actions:
“Modi is my friend — we have a great relationship — but we weren’t happy with India buying oil from Russia because it allows Russia to continue this senseless war. He assured me today that India will no longer buy Russian oil. That’s a big step. Now we need China to do the same.”
He went on to say, “He (Modi) has assured me that no oil will be purchased from Russia. Maybe that’s big news — can I say that? He’s already starting the process. It may not happen overnight, but it’s underway.”
In response to Trump’s remarks, the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified during the weekly press briefing that there had been no recent communication between the two leaders.
“I have no information regarding any conversation between the two leaders yesterday,” Jaiswal said.
He reaffirmed India’s long-standing stance on the issue, emphasizing that New Delhi will continue to make decisions based on its national and consumer interests.
“Our position on purchasing oil from Russia remains consistent — India will not compromise on protecting the interests of its consumers,” he stated.
Trump’s latest warning, issued on Diwali, adds a new layer of diplomatic tension between Washington and New Delhi, especially at a time when India continues to balance its energy needs amid rising global oil prices and geopolitical pressures.
