US President Donald Trump  said that India has reportedly stopped purchasing oil from Russia, calling it a ‘good step’ if confirmed. He made these remarks days after Washington imposed a 25% tariff on New Delhi for buying crude oil and military equipment from Russia. The US President added that he has additional penalties in mind for India.

“I understand that India is no longer going to be buying oil from Russia. That’s what I heard. I don’t know if that’s right or not. That is a good step. We will see what happens…,” Trump told ANI. He made the statement while responding to a question regarding the number in mind for the penalties and whether he would be speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Earlier on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that New Delhi’s energy purchases are based on national interest and market dynamics. It added that the Centre is not aware of any specific developments regarding Indian oil companies halting imports from Russia. During a press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said, “You are aware of our broad approach to energy sourcing requirements, that we look at what is available in the market and the prevailing global situation. We are not aware of any specifics.”

Jaiswal’s remarks come in the wake of several statements from the United States, including from Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who criticised India for still importing discounted Russian crude oil despite Western sanctions.

Earlier on Thursday, Donald Trump launched a scathing attack targeting India’s trade ties with Russia. In a statement, Trump called the economies of both countries ‘dead’ and said that he doesn’t care what New Delhi does with Russia. His remarks came after he announced a 25% tariff on imports from India and a penalty on the purchase of Russian oil, starting August 1. However, he later shifted his tone, noting that Washington is negotiating with India right now.