Trump assured that the US has excellent relations with India and is currently working on several excellent deals between the two countries.
The American president reported a conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 21.
“We have a very good relationship, and he is not going to buy a lot of oil from Russia,” Trump emphasized. [Моди] wants this war to end, just like me. He wants the war between Russia and Ukraine to end. And, as you know, they won't buy too much oil. So they have significantly reduced supplies and continue to reduce them.”
Context
Despite Western sanctions against the Russian Federation due to the war in Ukraine, New Delhi maintains close ties with Moscow in the military-technical sphere and energy. In particular, India remains one of the main importers of Russian weapons and oil. According to Reuters As of August 2025, India was purchasing about 1.75 million barrels of Russian crude oil daily, which helps the Kremlin finance its military action against Ukraine.
On July 30, Trump announced the introduction 25 percent duty on all Indian goods due to cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow. On August 6 he raised tariffs to 50%, accusing India of indifference to the victims of Russian aggression in Ukraine.
The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs named American sanctions are “unjustified” and announced his intention to defend national interests. Modi announced willingness to “pay a high price” for maintaining trade relations with the Russian Federation and called the illegitimate Russian President Vladimir Putin a “friend.”
According to Bloomberg on August 20, despite US sanctions, Indian refineries continued to purchase Russian oilalthough they planned to reduce volumes to 1.4–1.6 million barrels per day from October.
On October 15, Trump said that India was supposedly going to stop importing oil and gas from Russia and that Modi had assured him of this. Importing oil and gas is “protecting the interests of the Indian consumer” in an unstable energy market, the Indian government responded.
