The President of the United States announced that the Indian Prime Minister assured him that he would not buy oil from Moscow again
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The president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced Wednesday from the White House that the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, assured him that his country will stop importing oil from Russia "in a short period of time."
Trump described the commitment as an important step to financially weaken the Kremlin and accelerate the end of the war in Ukraine, a conflict he strongly criticized, noting that it has caused "the loss of one and a half million people."
"Modi is a friend of mine, a great man, and he loves Trump," said the American president from the Oval Office. "I wasn't happy with India buying Russian oil because that allows Russia to continue this ridiculous war. But he assured me today that they will stop buying oil from Russia. That's a big step," Trump added, who stated that now he will pressure China to do the same.
El presidente estadounidense calificó la medida como un paso para debilitar a Moscú
India has been one of the main buyers of Russian crude since the escalation of the war in Ukraine in 2022, taking advantage of the reduced prices offered by Moscow due to Western sanctions.
This energy relationship has been essential to sustaining India's growing energy demand, a nation of more than 1.4 billion inhabitants and the third largest oil consumer worldwide, after the United States and China.
However, India's position has been a source of diplomatic tension with Washington. For months, Trump has publicly insisted that New Delhi stop its purchases of Russian energy.
In August, his administration imposed 50% tariffs on Indian products, including a specific 25% penalty for energy and military transactions with Russia, a measure that India described as "unfair" and "double standard," alluding to the energy trade that still persists between Russia and Western countries.
La administración Trump ya impuso altos aranceles a las importaciones de India
Indian officials, although they haven't officially commented on Trump's announcement, have repeatedly defended their neutral position regarding the war in Ukraine.
They argue that purchases of Russian oil are based on legitimate economic interests and that India isn't aligned with either side in the conflict. Despite the frictions, Modi and Trump have maintained a close personal relationship. The American president even declared: "We have a great relationship. He loves Trump."
During his speech, Trump acknowledged that the elimination of India's purchases of Russian crude won't be immediate, noting that "it's a process," but assured that "it's about to conclude soon." According to his statements, once the war is over, India could resume its energy ties with Moscow.
A pesar de esta medida, Trump y Modi han mantenido una buena relación personal
In addition to the energy issue, the Trump administration has been pressuring other allies and trading partners, such as China and Türkiye, to also stop their purchases of Russian oil. The goal is to cut off Moscow's main sources of income, whose economy depends largely on oil and gas exports.
For now, Trump's announcement hasn't been confirmed by the Indian government, and it's not clear whether this is a definitive decision or a conditional commitment. The Indian embassy in Washington didn't issue comments.
The suspension of Russian crude imports by India, if carried out, would have a strong economic impact on Russia and could mark a shift in South Asia's energy strategy.
Trump ha presionado a China y Turquía para que sigan los pasos de India
