‘Only Trump, no one else’: Russian FM Lavrov on US claims of India halting Russian oil imports | World News

Russia on Wednesday pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s claims that India would stop buying oil from Moscow, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov telling the Russian parliament that no one other than Trump had declared that New Delhi would stop buying oil from Russia.

Addressing lawmakers in the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, Lavrov said he had not heard any statements from Prime Minister Narendra Modi or other Indian officials that New Delhi plans to stop buying Russian oil. In response to a question from a member of parliament, Lavrov said, “You stated that Donald Trump announced India’s agreement to no longer buy Russian oil. I have not heard such a statement from anyone, including Prime Minister Modi and other Indian leaders.”

These remarks come after President Trump announced earlier this week that Washington was withdrawing an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, a punitive measure that it linked to India’s ongoing purchases of Russian crude oil as part of a broader India-US trade deal.

In press statements supporting the deal, Trump said India had committed to stopping imports of Russian oil and repeatedly stated that this commitment was a condition of completing the trade framework.

However, there has been no official confirmation from New Delhi on this issue. India has signaled openness to increased energy purchases from the United States and other sources such as Venezuela but struck a cautious diplomatic tone. “In the trade agreement anyway, there will be no discussion of who will buy what and from where,” Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told ANI, adding that such decisions are determined by market conditions and national energy security considerations.

Russia’s response: accusations of coercion

Lavrov’s comments come amid broader Russian criticism of US pressure on energy diplomacy. Russia has accused Washington of trying to deter India and other countries from buying Russian oil with “coercive” measures including tariffs, sanctions and outright bans.

Lavrov said the United States was seeking “global economic dominance” and trying to control trade and investment ties with strategic partners such as India and other BRICS members.

Lavrov’s broader criticism was framed as U.S. efforts being inconsistent with fair competition and aimed at suppressing rivals. He argued that such tactics could force countries to buy U.S. liquefied natural gas at higher prices; He argued that this situation was against the interests of large energy consumers.

Bilateral relations and energy security

Lavrov emphasized that despite the tension over rumors about oil purchases, agreements and cooperation between Russia and India were not affected. He noted that ties with New Delhi remain strong and underlined the shared emphasis on energy security, which India prioritized during this year’s BRICS chairmanship. India has argued that its energy import choices reflect trade realities and its goal of stable supplies for its large economy.