Responding to a media query about US President Donald Trump’s claim that India was not buying Russian oil, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said all “Indian decisions are taken and will continue to be taken with the priority of providing energy security to 1.4 billion Indians”.
“When it comes to India’s energy security or energy sourcing, the government has publicly stated on several occasions, including me here, that ensuring energy security for 1.4 billion Indians is its top priority. Diversifying energy sources in line with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics is at the core of our strategy. All India’s decisions will be made with this Thursday’s report in mind and communicated to Jaiswal.” February 5th.
On Monday, February 2, US President Trump announced a trade deal with India – reducing reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 25%, noting that India will now buy oil from the US and potentially from Venezuela.
India-US trade agreement
Trump announced the deal on social media after a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the tariffs were exchanged for India, which stopped purchases of Russian oil and lowered trade barriers.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday reiterated the details of the newly finalized trade deal between India and the US. She claimed that PM Modi has committed to buy $500 billion in US energy, transport and agricultural products.
However, Trump’s message on Truth Social did not include any details on the start date of the lower tariffs, no deadline for India to end purchases of Russian oil and the reduction of trade barriers.
Purchases worth 500 billion dollars, oil claims: What Trump wrote
In a post on Truth Social, Trump outlined what he described as a broader package to accompany the tariff cuts. He argued that India would:
– Reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers on American goods to zero
– Commit to buying more than $500 billion worth of American energy, technology, agricultural products, coal and other goods
– Stop buying Russian oil and shift energy purchases to the United States and possibly Venezuela, linking this move to efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine
Russian oil accounts for more than a third of India’s total imports.
Indo-Russian oil relations
India imports roughly 1.5 million barrels of Russian oil every day — even months after Trump imposed punitive tariffs on Indian goods, according to Kpler, a provider of global trade data, as cited by CNN.
The India-US trade announcement follows a period of strained trade relations between the nations after Washington imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods last year, including an additional duty linked to purchases of Russian oil. The latest deal signals a partial reset, easing tariff pressures while leaving open questions about the broader strategic and economic commitments Trump has made.
