Will India stop buying Russian oil? Here is what Piyush Goyal, MEA said

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday briefed mediapersons on the interim framework of the US-India trade agreement. Goyal reassured that the interests of Indian farmers have been protected in the trade agreement.

However, the minister sidestepped the big question on India’s purchase of Russian Federation oil. While announcing the trade deal, Trump had claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil.

Advertisement

Subsequently, the White House also stated that New Delhi has committed to stopping the import of Russian oil and buying energy products from the United States.

When asked about White House statement mentioning this claim in its statement, Goyal redirected the question to the Ministry of External Affairs. “MEA will give information about it,” the minister said.

The purchase of Russian oil was among the key sticky points in trade deal negotiations. Despite US sanctions on Russian oil, India’s decision to continue sourcing the energy products from Russia reflected New Delhi’s independent decision-making and its historic ties with Moscow.

India, United States unveil framework for Interim Trade Agreement to enhance economic ties

What did MEA say on stopping the purchase of Russian oil?

Shortly after this, the Ministry of External Affairs addressed the issue, saying that “diversifying our energy sourcing in keeping with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics is at the core of our strategy to ensure this.”

“Insofar as India’s energy sourcing is concerned, the government has stated publicly on several occasions that ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indians is the supreme priority of the government,” the MEA said.

The statement, however, stopped short of ruling out the purchase of Russian oil. “All of India’s actions are taken and will be taken with this in mind,” it added.

According to the joint statement by the Ministry of Commerce and the White House, the United States will apply a reciprocal tariff rate of 18 per cent on goods originating in India, including textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, plastic and rubber, organic chemicals, home decor, artisanal products, and certain machinery.

Subject to the successful conclusion of the Interim Agreement, the US will remove the reciprocal tariff on a wide range of goods identified in the Potential Tariff Adjustments for Aligned Partners Annex to Executive Order 14346 of September 5, 2025 (Modifying the Scope of Reciprocal Tariffs and Establishing Procedures for Implementing Trade and Security Agreements), as amended, including generic pharmaceuticals, gems and diamonds, and aircraft parts.