US Imposes Retaliatory Tariffs on Indian Imports
Trump: "Prime Minister Modi Assured Halt to Imports"
Indian Foreign Ministry: "Last Conversation Was on the 9th"
US President Donald Trump (right) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are sitting side by side at the White House in February for a summit meeting. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
The Indian government has directly refuted US President Donald Trump's claim that he received confirmation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding a halt to purchases of Russian oil.
According to Indian media outlets such as the Indian Express on October 17, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated at a press briefing the previous day, "There was no phone call between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump, and the most recent conversation between the two took place on the 9th."
Earlier, at a White House press conference on October 15, President Trump had claimed that Prime Minister Modi had assured him that day of India's decision to stop importing Russian crude oil.
Spokesperson Jaiswal further explained, "As a major importer of crude oil and gas, India has consistently prioritized protecting the interests of Indian consumers in a highly volatile energy market," adding that India's energy import policy is established entirely for this purpose.
He continued, "We have expanded our purchases of US energy over the years," and added, "The current (Trump) administration has shown interest in strengthening energy cooperation with India. Relevant discussions are currently underway."
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak also stated the previous day that he is confident India will continue to import economically advantageous Russian crude oil despite US pressure.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which led to Western sanctions and blocked sales channels, India has imported large quantities of Russian crude oil at low prices. The Trump administration has criticized this, claiming it provides Russia with funds to wage war, and has imposed a total of 50% reciprocal tariffs-including an additional 25% tariff-on Indian imports since the end of August.
However, according to Bloomberg News, a White House official, when asked about reports of a phone call between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi on October 15, declined to specify who initiated the call and only stated that a productive conversation had taken place.
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