India's first comment on Trump's claim over Russian oil: 'All decisions are...'

Responding to a media query about US President Donald Trump claiming India not buying Russian oil, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that all of ‘India’s decisions are taken and will continue to be taken with the priority of ensuring security energy of 1.4 billion Indians'.

“In so far as India’s energy security or energy sourcing is concerned, the government has stated publicly on several occasions, including by me here, that ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indians is its supreme priority. Diversifying energy sourcing in keeping with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics is at the core of our strategy. All of India’s decisions are taken and will continue to be taken with this objective in mind," Jaiswal told reporters on Thursday, 5 February.

On Monday, 2 February, US President Trump announced a trade deal with India – slashing reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 25%, noting that India would now buy oil from the US and potentially Venezuela.

India-US trade deal

Trump announced the deal on social media following a call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the tariffs were exchanged for India halting Russian oil purchases and lowering trade barriers.

On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated details of the newly finalised India-US trade deal. She claimed that PM Modi committed to purchasing $ 500B in US energy, transportation, and agricultural products.

Trump's message on Truth Social, however, did not include any details on the start date for the lower tariff rates, any deadline for India to end Russian oil purchases and trade barrier reductions.

$500 billion purchases, oil claims: What all Trump wrote

In his post on Truth Social, Trump outlined what he described as a broader package accompanying the tariff cuts. He claimed India would:

– Reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers on US goods to zero

– Commit to purchasing more than $500 billion worth of US energy, technology, agricultural products, coal and other goods

– Stop buying Russian oil and shift energy purchases to the United States and potentially Venezuela, linking the move to efforts to end the Russia–Ukraine war

Russian oil makes up more than a third of India's overall imports.

India-Russia oil ties

India has been importing roughly 1.5 million barrels of Russian oil each day — even months after Trump imposed punitive tariffs on Indian goods, according to Kpler, a global trade data provider, quoted by CNN.

The trade announcement between India and US follows a period of strain in the nations' trade relations after Washington last year imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, including an additional duty linked to Russian oil purchases. The latest agreement signals a partial reset, easing tariff pressures while leaving open questions about the broader strategic and economic commitments Trump has claimed.