India says it’s unaware of Trump-Modi conversation on Russian oil

NEW DELHI - India’s foreign ministry said it is unaware of a conversation between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Oct 15, hours after the US leader indicated he spoke with his Indian counterpart, who pledged to halt Russian oil purchases.

“To the best of our knowledge, I am not aware of any conversation between PM Modi and President Trump yesterday,” Mr Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs, told reporters at a briefing in New Delhi on Oct 16.  

US-India relations have been strained since Mr Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff on goods from the South Asian nation, a move the US President cast as a punishment for New Delhi’s purchases of Russian crude.

On Oct 15, Mr Trump signalled a possible resolution to the issue by telling reporters at the White House that Mr Modi had committed to not buying oil from Russia.

In a statement earlier on Oct 16, Mr Jaiswal did not confirm that India is complying with Mr Trump’s demands, although he said that New Delhi is working to deepen energy ties with the US.

Mr Modi’s government has previously indicated the country would keep buying Russian oil if it is economically viable, and Mr Jaiswal reiterated on Oct 16 that consumer interests remain a top priority in shaping India’s energy import policy.

A White House official, asked about the purported conversation between Mr Trump and Mr Modi, said only that productive discussions have occurred, without specifying any participants. The official also noted that India is already cutting its purchases of Russian oil. 

India became a major importer of Russian crude after the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, and has been able to scoop up deliveries at discounts. Purchases of Russian oil fell slightly in September, but still made up one-third of India’s overall imports despite the US push to curb flows.

On Oct 16, several executives from state-owned Indian refiners said they were caught off guard by Mr Trump’s comments.

The executives, who asked not to be named as they are not authorised to speak publicly, said they had not been briefed by New Delhi or any ministries on the matter.

Three executives said Indian imports of Russian oil would drop in the short term.

Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Oct 16 he is confident India will continue buying the nation’s crude despite US pressures, as it is economically viable.

Different versions

India has disputed Mr Trump’s version of events in the past.

The US President has said several times that he used trade as leverage to broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May – an assertion Mr Modi and his officials have repeatedly denied, but Islamabad has embraced.

While India was among the first countries to begin trade negotiations with the US earlier in 2025, its goods now face the highest tariffs in Asia. 

In recent weeks, the two sides have taken steps to repair relations.

Mr Trump and Mr Modi spoke last week to review trade talks, and negotiators from New Delhi are currently in the US to clinch a deal they say may come as soon as November.

Mr Trump said on Oct 15 that India could not stop the purchases of Russian oil “immediately”, adding that “it’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon”. BLOOMBERG