Moscow/New Delhi, February 3, 2026: US President Donald Trump's claims about a trade deal with India and halting Russian oil purchases have sparked global diplomatic buzz. While Trump asserted India agreed to stop buying Russian oil, Russia has refuted this, stating no such signal or official statement has come from the Indian government.
On Monday, Trump announced that in exchange for cutting tariffs on India from 25% (50% in some cases) to 18%, India promised to end Russian oil imports and increase energy purchases from the US. He added that India's Russian oil buys were indirectly funding Russia's war in Ukraine.
Responding, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified Tuesday that Moscow is closely analyzing Trump's remarks. Peskov emphasized Russia's strategic partnership with India as vital and expressed a desire to strengthen it further. In no uncertain terms, he stated no official information has been received from India about stopping oil purchases, and India values this partnership equally.
Since the Ukraine war began, India has been the largest buyer of discounted Russian oil, always defending it citing energy security needs. Trump's fresh claims have created new uncertainty, though India has yet to issue an official response on halting oil imports. The issue of trade, oil, and diplomacy remains highly complex for now.