• Source:JND
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The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that there was no phone call or conversation between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump yesterday, following remarks by Trump regarding India’s purchase of Russian oil. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that he was “not aware of any conversation yesterday between the two leaders,” addressing speculation over whether the Indian Prime Minister had discussed the sensitive issue with the US President.

Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, claimed that PM Modi had “assured” him that India would stop buying oil from Russia. “I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That's a big stop,” Trump said. He added that the change would not happen immediately, but “within a short period of time,” and further stated that he intended to get China to do the same thing.

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India’s Response

In response, MEA emphasised that India’s energy policies are guided by national interests and the need to safeguard consumers in a volatile global market. “India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective,” Randhir Jaiswal said.

The Ministry highlighted that ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies has been a key goal of India’s energy policy. This includes broadening energy sourcing and diversifying supplies as market conditions dictate. The MEA also noted ongoing discussions with the US Administration to deepen energy cooperation.

Russian Perspective

Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov also weighed in, stating that India’s decisions on oil imports are guided by its “national interests.” When asked about continued imports from Russia, Alipov said, “The Indian government is having in mind the national interest of this country in the first place, and our cooperation in energy is very much in tune with those interests.” 

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External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have previously stressed that India will continue purchasing Russian oil as long as it remains economically viable. They also pointed out what they consider double standards by Western countries, many of which continue to import Russian gas while criticising India’s energy strategy.


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