ASEAN Summit: Donald Trump says India 'cutting back completely' on Russian oil
Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, where he hinted the issue of Russian oil might come up. “I may be discussing it,” Trump said.
- Oct 26, 2025,
- Updated Oct 26, 2025 8:39 PM IST
President Donald Trump claimed that India will “completely” halt oil purchases from Russia, signaling a sharp shift in global energy politics — but New Delhi insists it will keep acting in its own interests.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Malaysia on October 26, Trump said, “India is cutting back [Russian oil purchases] completely,” and added that China would also reduce its imports “very substantially.” Trump did not offer evidence for the assertion, which directly contradicts India’s public stance.
India has repeatedly said its energy policy is driven by national interest, stressing the need for affordable and secure fuel supplies amid global volatility. “India’s position on energy imports remains unchanged,” a senior Indian government official said earlier this week, rejecting claims of a full pullback.
Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, where he hinted the issue of Russian oil might come up. “I may be discussing it,” Trump said. “You probably saw it today — China’s cutting back very substantially.”
Washington has accused India of financing Russia’s war in Ukraine through oil trade. In response, the Trump administration recently hiked tariffs on Indian goods to 50 percent, including an extra 25 percent penalty targeting purchases of Russian crude. India condemned the move as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”
The strained ties come amid Trump’s renewed claims of having mediated peace between India and Pakistan. “If you look at India and Pakistan, I thought it would be harder than Russia and Ukraine — but I was wrong,” Trump said. “There’s tremendous hatred [between Zelensky and Putin].”
On May 10, Trump posted on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire, crediting US diplomacy. But Indian officials maintain the agreement stemmed from direct military-to-military talks after India’s Operation Sindoor targeted terror camps in Pakistan following a deadly April 22 attack.
President Donald Trump claimed that India will “completely” halt oil purchases from Russia, signaling a sharp shift in global energy politics — but New Delhi insists it will keep acting in its own interests.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Malaysia on October 26, Trump said, “India is cutting back [Russian oil purchases] completely,” and added that China would also reduce its imports “very substantially.” Trump did not offer evidence for the assertion, which directly contradicts India’s public stance.
India has repeatedly said its energy policy is driven by national interest, stressing the need for affordable and secure fuel supplies amid global volatility. “India’s position on energy imports remains unchanged,” a senior Indian government official said earlier this week, rejecting claims of a full pullback.
Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, where he hinted the issue of Russian oil might come up. “I may be discussing it,” Trump said. “You probably saw it today — China’s cutting back very substantially.”
Washington has accused India of financing Russia’s war in Ukraine through oil trade. In response, the Trump administration recently hiked tariffs on Indian goods to 50 percent, including an extra 25 percent penalty targeting purchases of Russian crude. India condemned the move as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”
The strained ties come amid Trump’s renewed claims of having mediated peace between India and Pakistan. “If you look at India and Pakistan, I thought it would be harder than Russia and Ukraine — but I was wrong,” Trump said. “There’s tremendous hatred [between Zelensky and Putin].”
On May 10, Trump posted on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire, crediting US diplomacy. But Indian officials maintain the agreement stemmed from direct military-to-military talks after India’s Operation Sindoor targeted terror camps in Pakistan following a deadly April 22 attack.