"He (PM Narendra Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That's a big step," US President Donald Trump told newspersons at the White House.
He also claimed that China should follow India's lead and isolate Russia.
He also called PM Modi "a friend of mine" and a close partner despite friction over energy policy.
"We have a great relationship," when asked if he saw India as a reliable partner amid tensions with China.
However, New Delhi has not confirmed Trump's claim that India will halt Russian oil imports. Trump said securing Modi's assurance was part of his diplomatic push to cut off Moscow's energy revenue.
The US President said India's shift away from Russian oil would take time, but he believed the transition was already underway. "He's not buying his oil from Russia. He can't do it immediately. It's a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over soon," Trump said, adding that once India stops Russian oil imports, normal trade ties could resume.
India has defended its Russian oil purchases, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asserting, "We make decisions that are in national interest," and dismissing US criticism as unfair.
Meanwhile, India's purchase of Russian oil has been a contentious issue between New Delhi and Washington, especially since August when Trump announced an additional 25 per cent import duty on Indian goods, taking the total import duty to 50 per cent.
"Now we've got to get China to do the same thing," he added, describing pressuring Beijing as "relatively easy compared to what we just did over the last week in the Middle East".
When a reporter asked the President about PM Modi's recent meeting with US envoy-designate Sergio Gor, the President said, "He's (PM Modi) a great man. Modi is a great man. He loves Trump. Now I don't know if the word love, I don't want you to take that any differently. I don't want to destroy his political career."
"I have watched India for years. It's an incredible country and every single year you'd have a new leader.
Some would be there for a few months and this was year after year and my friend (PM Modi) has been there now for a long time and he’s assured me there will be no oil purchases from Russia," he stated.
Earlier this month Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is looking forward to his upcoming visit to India in early December and highly awaits meeting with his dear friend and Russia’s trustworthy partner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking at the 2025 Valdai Discussion Club meeting in Sochi, President Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s long-standing trust in New Delhi and described Prime Minister Modi as a very reasonable, wise leader, strongly oriented toward the interests of his nation.
Putin called the India-Russia relationship special and trustworthy since the days of India’s independence struggle. He highlighted that India has always remembered the Soviet Union’s support and stressed that both nations have built a friendship without interstate disputes or differences.
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