Donald Trump has made a significant claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “assured” him that India would halt its purchases of Russian oil. “I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big stop,” Trump told reporters.
This claim, however, was immediately thrown into doubt. Hours later, India’s MEA issued a statement emphasizing that “safeguarding the interests of the Indian consumer” is the government’s priority and guides its import decisions.
Russia’s Ambassador, Denis Alipov, also reacted, calling the oil trade “very beneficial” for the Indian economy and respecting India’s “independent” decisions.
Adding another layer to the situation, Alipov used the same address to announce a major defense push for India. He offered co-production of the Su-57 fighter jet, reinforcing Russia’s deep strategic ties at the exact moment its economic ties were being questioned by the US.