Russian Oil Import: India Reiterates Stance On Trump's Latest Claim — Check MEA Response

The Ministry of External Affairs has responded to US President Donald Trump's latest claim that India will stop buying crude oil from Russia. The ministry spokesperson reiterated India's stance on the issue that safeguarding the interests of Indians will remain the top priority of the Narendra Modi government.

"India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective," MEA's official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a press release.

This comes on the back of Donald Trump's statement where he claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to not buy oil from Russia anymore.

“So I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia,” Trump told reporters during a White House event on Wednesday night.

India on its part has continuously maintained that its trade decisions are determined by giving priority to safeguarding the interest of its citizens.

"India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective," the MEA statement read.

"Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy. This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions," it added.

Russia remains a key partner for India as far as oil imports are concerned. The country's imports of Russian crude stand at about 1.6 million barrels per day currently.

The MEA, however, acknowledged India's ongoing talks with the US, even admitting that the Trump administration has shown interest in deepening the energy ties between the two countries.

"Where the US is concerned, we have for many years sought to expand our energy procurement. This has steadily progressed in the last decade. The current Administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing," the statement concluded.