Donald Trump claims PM Modi assured him of no more Russian oil: 'Now we got to get China'

US President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to halt oil imports from Russia, a move Trump said could undercut Moscow's war in Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters on October 15, Trump said Modi gave him personal assurances that India would stop buying Russian oil, calling it “a big stop.” He added, “We were not happy with him buying oil from Russia because that lets Russia continue with this ridiculous war... He assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia.”

India has not confirmed Trump’s statement through official channels.

Trump, who repeatedly referred to Modi as “a great friend and a great man,” suggested the decision would pressure China to follow suit. “Now we got to get China to do the same thing,” Trump said. “That is relatively easy compared to what we did last week in the Middle East.”

He acknowledged that India's shift won’t be immediate. “It's a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over soon,” Trump added.

Currently, Russia is India’s top crude oil supplier, delivering 1.62 million barrels per day in September—roughly a third of India’s total imports.

Trump’s remarks come as an Indian trade delegation, led by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal, is in Washington to negotiate tariff reductions. Agarwal noted rising energy trade with the U.S., stating, “Our energy purchases in the past have also touched $23–24 billion. Right now, we are at an average of $12–13 billion annually.”

The Trump administration recently hiked tariffs on Indian exports from 25% to 50%, citing India’s Russian oil trade.

Trump also praised a recent meeting between U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor and Modi, calling it a success, and emphasized that ending the Russia-Ukraine war remains a priority.