U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated that India has agreed to gradually phase out its imports of Russian oil by the end of the year, a statement that New Delhi has yet to confirm. The claim comes on the heels of Washington’s sweeping new sanctions against Russia’s two biggest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, aimed at tightening pressure on Moscow to end its war in Ukraine.
‘India Has Been Great’: Donald Trump
Speaking at the White House during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump said he had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He asserted that India told them that they would stop and it was a process. “By the end of the year, they will be down to almost nothing—and that’s a big thing,” he remarked, as per a report on NDTV. Trump praised Modi’s leadership, saying India had been “absolutely great,” while acknowledging that the transition would need to be gradual to avoid jolting global energy markets.
#WATCH | Washington DC | Regarding his upcoming meetign with Chinese President Xi, US President Donald Trump says, “India, as you know, has told me they are going to stop…it’s a process. You can’t just stop (buying oil from Russia). By the end of the year, they’ll be down to… pic.twitter.com/XXdL1ETOZf
— ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2025
The comments followed days of mounting anticipation over additional US action against Russia. The administration’s sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, announced by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday, came shortly after the cancellation of a planned Trump-Putin summit in Budapest, which Washington scrapped over stalled ceasefire talks.
Prime Minister Modi, meanwhile, acknowledged Trump’s Diwali greetings in a social media post, expressing optimism that the “two great democracies” would continue to lead with “faith and progress.” However, he did not mention Russian oil imports or confirm any recent conversation with Trump.
Trump has long criticised India’s continued energy partnership with Russia, arguing that such purchases undermine global sanctions. Earlier this year, he imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, warning that the penalties would remain until New Delhi halted Russian oil imports.
Asked about India’s denial while speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump sidestepped the question but reiterated his belief that India was “fully committed” to reducing its reliance on Russian crude.
