U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to halt oil purchases from Russia, marking a major shift in global energy dynamics as Washington steps up efforts to choke off Moscow’s revenue streams.
India and China are currently the two largest buyers of Russian seaborne crude, taking advantage of discounted prices after Western nations imposed sanctions on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Trump has recently criticized India’s continued oil trade with Russia, introducing tariffs on Indian exports to the U.S. to discourage further purchases and to pressure Moscow into peace negotiations.
“I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia,” Trump told reporters during a White House event. “That’s a big step. Now we’re going to get China to do the same thing.”
The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately comment on whether Modi made such a commitment.
Later the same day, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he had informed Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato that the Trump administration expects Japan to also stop importing Russian energy.
“Minister Kato and I discussed key U.S.-Japan economic issues and the Administration’s expectation that Japan stop importing Russian energy,” Bessent said on X.
The Japanese government has yet to issue a response.
Russia remains India’s top oil supplier, exporting about 1.62 million barrels per day in September, roughly one-third of India’s total oil imports. For months, Modi’s government defended the purchases as essential for energy security, despite U.S. pressure.
Analysts note that although sourcing oil elsewhere could raise India’s costs, the impact might be softened by declining global crude prices, with Brent futures hitting a five-month low this week due to market surplus concerns.
If India follows through on Trump’s announcement, it would mark a significant policy shift and could influence other nations still importing Russian crude. Trump’s approach relies heavily on bilateral pressure to isolate Russia economically rather than traditional multilateral sanctions.
The announcement comes shortly after Trump’s nominee for Indian ambassador, Sergio Gor, met with Modi to discuss defense, trade, and technology cooperation. Gor, a close Trump ally, is expected to play a key role in shaping the future of U.S.-India relations.
Trump acknowledged that India’s exit from Russian oil might not be immediate, describing it as “a little bit of a process, but that process will be over soon.”
Despite his tough stance on India, Trump has been more cautious with China, avoiding similar demands amid the ongoing U.S.-China trade war, which he fears could escalate further.
Earlier this year, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Indian exports, later doubling it to 50% in response to India’s continued purchases of Russian crude — a move that drew criticism from New Delhi, which noted that other major importers like China and Turkey were not targeted.
