India to Continue Russian Oil Imports Despite Trump’s Threats of Penalties
India will maintain its oil imports from Russia despite threats of economic penalties from U.S. President Donald Trump, two senior Indian government officials told Reuters on Saturday, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the issue’s sensitivity.
Trump, who has recently imposed a new 25% tariff on Indian exports to the U.S., warned last month via Truth Social that India could face further consequences for its continued purchases of Russian arms and energy. On Friday, he publicly claimed that India had stopped buying Russian oil.
However, Indian officials rejected that claim, stating there are no immediate changes to the country’s energy policy.
“These are long-term oil contracts,” one official said. “It is not so simple to just stop buying overnight.”
A second source emphasized that India’s Russian oil imports have contributed to global price stability. “Our purchases help keep global oil prices in check, even with Western sanctions on Russia,” the official said.
India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, continues to buy Russian crude at rates below the European Union’s price cap. Unlike oil from Iran or Venezuela, Russian crude is not under direct international sanctions.
The New York Times also cited unnamed Indian officials on Saturday who confirmed that the government’s stance on Russian energy imports remains unchanged.
While India’s foreign ministry did not issue an official statement in response to Reuters’ inquiries, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a routine press briefing Friday that India shares a “steady and time-tested partnership” with Russia.
“On our energy sourcing requirements, we evaluate what’s available in the market, what’s on offer, and the prevailing global circumstances,” Jaiswal said.
The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Trump, who returned to the presidency earlier this year, has prioritized ending the war in Ukraine and has recently stepped up pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has threatened to impose 100% tariffs on U.S. imports from countries that continue buying Russian oil unless a peace agreement with Ukraine is reached.
Russia currently accounts for about 35% of India’s oil supply. From January to June 2025, India imported roughly 1.75 million barrels per day of Russian oil—a 1% increase over the same period last year, according to industry data shared with Reuters.
Still, recent market shifts are influencing buying patterns. Sources said that Indian state-run refiners have paused purchases of Russian oil after discounts narrowed to their lowest levels since 2022, when the initial wave of sanctions hit Moscow.
Major public refiners—including Indian Oil Corp., Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum, and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals—have not ordered Russian crude in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Nayara Energy, a key buyer of Russian oil and partially owned by Rosneft, has come under pressure after recent EU sanctions. Nayara’s CEO resigned, and three of its oil tankers remain undelivered due to sanctions-related disruptions, Reuters reported earlier this month.
