India to Continue Buying Russian Oil Despite Trump’s Threats: Report

NEW DELHI (Agencies): India will continue purchasing oil from Russia despite recent threats of penalties by former U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a report by The New York Times published Saturday.

Trump had recently suggested that countries buying Russian oil could face 100 percent tariffs unless Moscow reaches a significant peace agreement with Ukraine. However, he later appeared to backtrack, saying he “didn’t care” what India chose to do in relation to Russia.

On Friday, Trump told reporters he had heard that India would stop buying Russian oil, but two senior Indian officials told The New York Times that no such policy change had been made. One official clarified that no instructions had been issued to Indian oil companies to reduce imports from Russia.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment, the report said.

Earlier this month, Reuters reported that Indian state-run refineries had reduced purchases of Russian oil due to narrowing price discounts. Still, Russia remains India’s largest oil supplier, accounting for approximately 35 percent of its total crude imports.

Despite geopolitical pressure and Western sanctions on Russia, India has maintained its position of non-alignment, continuing to source affordable energy supplies to meet domestic demand.

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