No Indian leader has said India will stop buying Russian oil amid Trump claim: Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday said that apart from US President Donald Trump, no Indian leader has stated that India will stop buying Russian oil.
“Except US President Donald Trump, nobody else has declared that India will stop buying Russian oil,” Lavrov said, responding to a question from a lawmaker in the State Duma, the Lower House of Russia’s parliament.
Lavrov’s remarks came two days after Russia accused the United States of trying to prevent India and other countries from buying Russian oil. Moscow had said Washington was employing a broad range of “coercive” measures, including tariffs, sanctions and direct prohibitions.
Addressing the Government Hour session of the State Duma, a forum where cabinet ministers report on the performance of their ministries, Lavrov said, “You mentioned that Donald Trump announced India's agreement to no longer purchase Russian oil. I have not heard such a statement from anyone else, including Prime Minister Modi and other Indian leaders.”
During the same session, Lavrov highlighted the strength of bilateral ties, saying President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to India in December 2025 had further deepened relations between the two countries.
“In particular, a substantial package of joint documents was signed during President Putin's state visit to India last December. This visit enriched Russian-Indian relations, creating a special, privileged strategic partnership,” Lavrov underscored.
He added that another meeting between the Russian and Indian leaders is expected on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, which will be held this year under India’s chairmanship.
Russia, he said, is prepared to take its relationship with India as far as New Delhi desires. “The sky is the limit,” Lavrov remarked.
India formally assumed the chairmanship of BRICS on January 1, 2026. The 10-member bloc comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, along with five new members.
Earlier in the week, Lavrov had accused the United States of using “unfair methods” to suppress competitors by imposing sanctions on Russian oil companies. In an interview with TV BRICS on Monday, he said, “(The US) is attempting to control our trade, investment cooperation, and military-technical ties with major strategic partners, such as India and other BRICS members.”
The developments follow US President Donald Trump’s claim, made last week while announcing a trade deal with India, that New Delhi had agreed not to procure crude oil from Russia.
In an executive order, Trump subsequently rolled back an additional 25 per cent tariff on India that he had imposed in August last year over India’s procurement of crude oil from Russia.
On Monday, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the country would continue to maintain multiple sources for crude oil purchases and diversify them to ensure supply chain stability. He emphasised that national interest would remain the “guiding factor” in decisions regarding crude oil procurement.