Russia has said it sees no change in India’s position on purchasing Russian crude, pushing back against recent claims from Washington that New Delhi has agreed to halt such imports as part of a broader trade understanding with the US.
The statement from Moscow comes amid heightened speculation over the contours of a possible US-India trade arrangement and its implications for India’s energy security.
Speaking at a weekly briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow has “no reason” to believe that India has altered its approach to buying Russian hydrocarbons.
She said India’s continued purchase of Russian oil:
Benefits both countries
Contributes to stability in the international energy market
Supports balance in the global hydrocarbons trade
The remarks followed claims from Washington that India had agreed to stop importing Russian crude.
Earlier this month, Trump had publicly claimed that India had agreed to stop procuring crude from Russia as part of the trade understanding. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also stated last week that India had committed to halting Russian oil imports.
Zakharova dismissed the US assertions, saying there was “nothing new” in the claims made by Trump and Rubio, and criticised what she described as attempts to dictate terms to sovereign nations.
Russia has previously accused the US of using coercive measures — including tariffs, sanctions and direct prohibitions — to discourage countries such as India from buying Russian oil.
India has neither confirmed nor denied Washington’s claims that it has committed to stopping Russian crude imports.
In recent weeks, New Delhi has reiterated that “national interests” will remain the guiding factor in its energy procurement decisions — signalling that supply security and pricing considerations will continue to shape its crude sourcing strategy.
With India emerging as a key buyer of discounted Russian crude since the Ukraine conflict, any shift in its energy stance would carry significant implications for global oil flows, refining margins and trade balances.