Trump claims India will stop purchase of Russian oil: ‘Modi assured me…’
Trump further said that he shares a “great relationship” with PM Modi.
United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “assured” him that India would stop the purchase of Russian oil.
In response to a question by ANI news agency, Trump said, “...I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That's a big stop."
The US President said that he would now “get China to do the same thing.” Trump further said that he shares a “great relationship” with PM Modi.
“There will be no oil. He’s not buying oil,” Reuters quoted Trump as saying. He further added that the change would not take place immediately, but “within a short period of time.”
The US President has levied 50 per cent tariffs on India, among the highest in the world, including additional 25 per cent duties on account of the purchase of Russian oil.
Trump's remarks come a week after his trade representative Jamieson Greer claimed that India was diversifying away from Russian oil. The statements come amid continuous US efforts to end India's energy trade with Moscow.
“The Indians are pragmatic and I think they're already diversifying away from Russian oil,” Greer alleged at the Economic Club of New York. In conversation with journalist Maria Bartiromo, Greer further said that the US was not trying “to dictate” India's relations with other countries.
“India is a sovereign country. They control their own decisions. We aren't trying to dictate their relations with other countries,” Greer said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had, earlier, said that the US efforts to pressure India and China into cutting trade ties with Moscow could backfire economically.
“If India refuses our energy supplies, it will suffer a certain loss ... of course, the people of a country like India, believe me, will closely monitor the decisions made by the political leadership and will never allow any humiliation in front of anyone,” Putin said.
