No reason to believe change in India’s stance on Russian oil: Russian Foreign Ministry

Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday (February 18, 2026) said there is “no reason” to believe that India has changed its position on buying Russian oil, which it said is beneficial for both countries and maintains stability in the global hydrocarbon market.

These remarks followed Washington’s claim that New Delhi had agreed to stop imports of Russian crude oil.

“We have no reason to believe that India has changed its position on purchasing Russian hydrocarbons. India’s purchase of Russian hydrocarbons benefits both countries and helps maintain stability in the international energy market,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at her weekly briefing.

“There is nothing new in the allegations of US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who have usurped the right to dictate to independent nations,” Ms. Zakharova said.

Following a recent phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, both sides announced that US customs duties on Indian goods have been reduced from 50% to 18%.

The reduction included the removal of a 25% tariff on India that Mr. Trump imposed in August last year on New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.

Last week, Mr. Rubio said India had committed to halting its purchases of Russian oil, just days after New Delhi reiterated that “national interests” would be the “guiding factor” in India’s energy purchases.

While announcing the trade agreement with New Delhi in early February, Trump also claimed that India had agreed not to buy crude oil from Russia.

India has yet to confirm or deny Washington’s claim that it has committed to halt purchases of crude oil from Russia.

Russia has previously accused the United States of trying to prevent India and other countries from buying Russian oil and said Washington was using a wide range of “coercive” measures, including tariffs, sanctions and outright bans.

In her strongly worded statement, Ms. Zakharova also criticized the Ukrainian regime’s European allies, saying they did not want a peaceful solution.