India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday firmly refuted claims made by U.S. President Donald Trump, stating there was no phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump regarding India’s energy imports from Russia.
Responding to a question during the weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified, “On the question of whether there was a conversation or a telephone call between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump, I am not aware of any conversation yesterday between the two leaders.”
This denial comes after Trump, during a public appearance on Wednesday, claimed that Prime Minister Modi had personally assured him that India would halt oil purchases from Russia — a statement that raised eyebrows both in India and abroad. “I was not happy that India was buying oil [from Russia]. And he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big stop,” Trump said, adding, “Now we’ve got to get China to do the same.”
However, the Indian Government has now publicly discredited that claim, asserting there was no such communication between the two leaders.
The MEA had already responded earlier this week to Trump’s remarks by emphasizing India’s sovereign energy strategy, underscoring that oil imports are driven solely by national interests and the need to shield consumers from global price volatility.
“India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective,” the ministry stated. India has maintained a consistent stance on its engagement with energy partners, including Russia, stressing diversification and stability in supply chains as central pillars of its energy policy.
The controversy also drew a response from Moscow. Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov, speaking earlier in the day, dismissed suggestions that India would halt oil imports under U.S. pressure, affirming that the energy relationship between India and Russia remains strong and beneficial to both countries.
“Our cooperation is in tune with India’s national interests,” Alipov said, adding that bilateral ties with India are not influenced by third-party politics. The diplomatic exchange underscores New Delhi’s continued commitment to strategic autonomy — particularly in areas like energy security — and its refusal to bow to external political pressure, whether from the West or elsewhere.
