New Delhi: The Kremlin on Wednesday downplayed reports suggesting that India may switch oil suppliers, stating that New Delhi has long sourced crude and petroleum products from multiple countries.
Speaking at a media briefing, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that India was free to purchase oil from any supplier and stressed that Russia had never been the country’s sole energy partner.
Peskov, as quoted by TASS, noted that India had consistently bought oil and petroleum products from a range of international sources and said there was nothing unusual in recent reports.
The remarks came after US President Donald Trump announced that Washington and New Delhi had reached an understanding on future bilateral trade terms.
Trump said the US planned to lower its retaliatory tariff rate from 25% to 18%. He also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to halt purchases of Russian oil and shift sourcing to the US and potentially Venezuela.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said there was no indication that India had revised its approach to energy cooperation with Moscow. At a separate briefing, ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Russia had no reason to believe that India had reconsidered its position.
She added that Russian hydrocarbon supplies to India continued to benefit both countries and helped support stability in the global energy market. Zakharova also said Moscow remained ready to maintain close cooperation with India in the energy sector.
India currently imports nearly 88 per cent of its crude oil requirements, with Russian oil emerging as a major source after 2022 due to competitive pricing and supply stability. Indian officials have consistently maintained that energy sourcing decisions are guided by national interest and energy security.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated Washington’s position, saying India had committed to ending Russian oil imports following direct talks between Trump and Modi. Speaking to reporters, she claimed India would shift crude purchases to the US and could also source oil from Venezuela.
Leavitt also said India had committed to investments of around USD 500 billion in the United States across sectors including energy, transport and agriculture, describing it as a major boost for American infrastructure and industry.
Russia’s comments underline that any replacement of Russian oil volumes would not be commercially simple, given scale, pricing and logistical factors, even as India continues to broaden its energy mix to manage global volatility and safeguard domestic fuel supplies.
