Sergei Lavrov Rejects Trump’s Claim On India-Russia Oil Deal, Says No Confirmation from PM Modi Or Indian Officials
Russia has refuted US President Donald Trump’s claim that India had agreed to halt imports of Russian oil. Addressing the State Duma, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated he had received no such confirmation from Indian officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. When questioned by a lawmaker, Lavrov noted that Trump seemed to be the sole source of the assertion regarding India discontinuing Russian oil purchases. He said neither Modi nor any other Indian leader had publicly confirmed such a decision.
Lavrov’s comments come after India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said earlier this week that New Delhi will continue procuring crude oil from multiple suppliers to ensure energy stability. Misri emphasized that India’s procurement choices are guided entirely by national interest. Supporting this position, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that guaranteeing energy security for India’s 1.4 billion people remains the government’s foremost priority. He further confirmed that current agreements between India and Russia continue to stand despite recent measures taken by the Trump administration.
The US had previously imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India in August 2025 due to its Russian oil purchases, but subsequently withdrew it. Washington, however, cautioned it would track whether India resumes purchasing Russian crude, either directly or indirectly, and might reintroduce the tariff based on future developments. Lavrov has consistently criticized Washington’s tactics, accusing it of trying to prevent India and other countries from conducting trade with Russia. In an interview with TV BRICS, he claimed the US is using tariffs, sanctions, and other restrictive measures to preserve what he characterized as global economic dominance.
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Lavrov additionally alleged that Washington aims to shape trade, investment cooperation, and defence partnerships between Russia and key partners including India and other BRICS nations. He contended that Western countries are reluctant to give up their previous dominant standing in global affairs. He suggested the effort to counter competitors has grown stronger under the Trump administration.
Lavrov also stated the US is attempting to control global energy routes, citing oversight of pipelines in Europe including Nord Stream, the Ukrainian gas transit system, and TurkStream. Reinforcing his argument, Lavrov said the US strategy represents an effort to consolidate economic power through actions he described as incompatible with fair competition, including tariffs, sanctions, and restrictions affecting communication and trade. He noted that Russia must consider these developments when formulating its international economic strategy.