US claim on India’s Russian oil import cut disputed
WAHSINGTON: A White House official said India has halved its purchases of Russian oil, but sources in India countered on Friday that no immediate reduction has been seen as the Trump administration pressures New Delhi and other nations to buy less Russian crude.
The conflicting accounts highlight the friction over Russian oil, a major irritant in prolonged trade talks between the two countries.
The Trump administration says Moscow uses petroleum revenue to fund its war in Ukraine and has placed tariffs on Indian goods in retaliation for the purchases.
The White House official told Reuters on Thursday that talks with an Indian delegation in Washington this week have been productive and that Indian refiners were already cutting Russian oil imports by 50 per cent.
But Indian industry sources said on Friday that New Delhi had not informed refiners of any request to cut Russian imports.
The sources, who asked not to be identified as they were not authorised to speak to the media, said any potential cut would not be visible until December or January import numbers, as refiners have already placed orders for November loading.
The statements followed an assertion by President Donald Trump that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him on Wednesday that India would stop buying Russian oil. India’s foreign ministry said it was not aware of any telephone conversation between the two leaders that day.
Despite the US pressure, India’s imports of Russian oil are set to rise about 20pc this month to 1.9 million barrels per day, according to estimates from commodities data firm Kpler. The increase comes as Russia ramps up exports after Ukrainian drones hit its refineries.
The Indian oil ministry and refiners that buy Russian oil did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Still, India’s oil minister on Thursday sought data from all refiners on their Russian oil imports, including loadings and arrivals scheduled for November and December.
India has become the biggest buyer of Russian oil sold at a discount after Western nations shunned purchases and imposed sanctions on Moscow for its 2022 invasion of its neighbour.
Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2025