Kremlin’s first reaction to President Donald Trump’s claims regarding India-US trade deal has emerged. He says that no official information has been received from India regarding stopping the purchase of Russian crude oil.

Meanwhile, regarding the India-US trade deal, Trump claimed that India has agreed to stop purchasing Russian crude oil. According to Trump, in return America will reduce the reciprocal tariff imposed on Indian products from 25 percent to 18 percent. It will also eliminate the additional 25 percent tariff imposed on Russian oil purchases.

Kremlin’s first reaction to Trump’s claim

In an interview given to news agency Reuters, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the strategic partnership between India and Russia is of paramount importance. However, Dmitry Peskov said that he has not received any official information regarding stopping the purchase of Russian oil from India.

India is the largest buyer of Russian oil

India is the world’s third largest oil importer and consumer. After the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022, India became the largest buyer of Russian oil. America wants that the income Russia is earning from selling oil should reduce and it will become difficult for it to raise money for the war in Ukraine. In November 2025, some Indian refiners had stopped imports under the pressure of sanctions imposed on Russia.

Russian oil purchases affected after sanctions

Due to strict sanctions imposed by the US and the European Union, the supply of Russian oil to India has slowed down, due to which imports have declined by about 22 percent to 1.38 million barrels per day in December 2025. Trump posted on social media that India has agreed to buy American goods worth $500 billion and stop importing crude oil from Russia. He described this step as part of strengthening economic relations with India.

Trade deal will open new opportunities: PM Modi

Since the start of the Ukraine war, the US has been urging its allies to reduce or end Russian energy purchases. At the same time, India had increased the purchase of Russian crude oil at concessional rates to meet domestic energy needs. On the India-US trade deal, PM Modi said, ‘When two big economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and opens up new opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.

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