Trump says ‘heard India halting Russian oil purchases’; welcomes it as ‘good step’

Trump says he heard India halted Russian oil purchases after tariff threat

US President Donald Trump has claimed that he had "heard" reports of India halting Russian oil imports, hailing it as a "good step".

"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 mentioned.

#WATCH | "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..." says, US President Donald Trump on a question by ANI, if he had a number in mind for the… pic.twitter.com/qAbGUkpE12

— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2025

Earlier this week, Trump criticized India for what he described as unfair trade practices, citing its substantial purchases of Russian oil and military equipment. This followed his decision to impose a 25% tariff on Indian goods, along with a warning of further penalties if New Delhi continues its defense and energy dealings with Moscow.

“INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST,” he wrote on Wednesday on Truth Social..