In a significant statement, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally assured him that India would stop purchasing oil from Russia. Trump conveyed this information in response to a question from the ANI news agency, expressing his satisfaction with the development and calling it a “big stop.”
Trump further indicated his intention to leverage this assurance to encourage China to adopt a similar stance. He also highlighted the strong personal relationship he shares with Prime Minister Modi.
Quoting Trump, Reuters reported, “There will be no oil. He’s not buying oil.” Trump clarified that while the shift wouldn’t be immediate, it would occur “within a short period of time.”
This statement follows recent U.S. pressure on India to curtail its energy trade with Russia. Earlier, the U.S. had imposed a 50% tariff on India, with an additional 25% duty specifically linked to its purchase of Russian oil.
The remarks align with claims made by U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer the previous week, who suggested that India was already moving away from Russian oil. Greer emphasized India’s sovereignty in making its own decisions regarding international relations.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously warned that U.S. attempts to pressure India and China into cutting trade ties with Moscow could lead to negative economic consequences for these nations, asserting that the people of India would monitor their leadership’s decisions closely.
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