‘Nation’s welfare first’, India responds to claims of Trump on not buying oil from Russia

Responding to US President Donald Trump’s statement on Wednesday claiming that India will stop purchasing crude oil from Russia, New Delhi has clarified that the country's priorities lie with its people.

Responding to Trump’s statement, the Government of India clarified that the country’s top priority is the welfare of its citizens. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, firmly stated that India imports crude oil and gas on a large scale, and its import policy is guided solely by the interests of Indian consumers, especially in a highly volatile global market. The ministry emphasised that India’s decisions are not influenced by any external factors or political pressure.

This response from the Indian government directly contradicts Trump’s claim, similar to his earlier statement that a ceasefire between India and Pakistan was achieved through his mediation, a claim that both India and Pakistan had refuted, confirming that no third-party mediation was involved.

MEA spokesperson explained that India engages in energy deals with multiple countries based on market conditions. He noted that India has also increased crude imports from the United States over the past decade.

Furthermore, India has repeatedly pointed out that European nations remain among the largest buyers of Russian gas. Therefore, India argues that if Europe has not halted its own purchases from Russia, it has no moral authority to question India’s energy decisions.

Trump had claimed that India would stop purchasing oil from Russia when he was asked about a potential meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Malaysia during a press conference at the White House. Trump said, “Yeah, sure, he’s a friend of mine. We have a great relationship.”

“He’s a great man. He loves Trump… I have watched India for years. It’s an incredible country, and every single year you’d have a new leader. I mean, some would be in there for a few months, and this was year after year after year. And my friend has been there now for a long time,” he added.

Trump also claimed that he had been assured that India would stop buying oil from Russia, while acknowledging that the transition could not happen immediately. However, India has not yet responded to this specific remark.

“He assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia… You can’t do it immediately. It’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over soon. All we want from President Putin is to stop this,” Trump said.

He further added that if India stops buying Russian oil, it would make it much easier to end the conflict, stating, “Within a short period of time, they will not be buying oil from Russia, and they’ll go back to Russia after the war’s over.”

(With inputs from syndicated feed)