India will continue purchasing oil from Russia, despite warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump about potential penalties.
Two Indian government sources, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed that the oil deals with Russia are long-term contracts.
“These are long-term oil contracts,” said one official. “It’s not that simple to stop the purchases immediately.”
Their remarks come after President Trump issued a post last month on Truth Social, warning that India could face further sanctions for buying weapons and oil from Russia. On Friday, Trump told reporters he had heard India was ending its oil imports from Russia, according to Reuters.
However, The New York Times on Saturday cited two unnamed senior Indian officials who said there has been no change in India’s policy.
One of the officials clarified that the government “has not issued any directive to oil companies” to reduce imports from Russia.
Meanwhile, India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated at a press conference on Friday:
“When it comes to energy resources, we look at what is available in the market, what is being offered, and what the global situation is.”
He emphasized that India maintains a “long-standing and time-tested partnership” with Russia and that its foreign relations are guided by national interest.
The White House has not yet commented on the matter.
