India Free to Buy Oil From Any Country After US-India Trade Deal: Russia
Russia has clarified that India is free to purchase crude oil from any country of its choice. The Kremlin asserts that New Delhi’s efforts to diversify its energy sources are neither new nor aimed at reducing dependence on Moscow. This statement comes in response to claims by U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to stop buying Russian oil as part of a recently announced India-U.S. trade deal.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia has never been India’s sole energy supplier and dismissed claims that any shift in sourcing would be unusual. He added that Moscow has received no official communication from New Delhi indicating an intention to end its oil imports from Russia.
“We, along with all other international energy experts, are well aware that Russia is not the only supplier of oil and petroleum products to India. India has always purchased these products from other countries. Therefore, we see nothing new here,” Peskov said during a press briefing.
These remarks followed President Trump’s statements, in which he claimed that under a trade agreement, India would cease buying Russian oil and instead source crude from the United States and possibly Venezuela. However, Indian officials have not publicly confirmed any commitment related to energy imports.
Trade Minister Piyush Goyal recently stated that India is broadening its energy mix in response to changing global dynamics and to ensure long-term energy security for its citizens. Russia, however, maintains that such diversification has always been part of India’s strategy.
Supporting continued cooperation, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova remarked that the trade in hydrocarbons benefits both nations and contributes to stability in the global energy market. India’s purchase of Russian hydrocarbons is beneficial for both sides. We are ready to continue close cooperation with our Indian partners,” she said.
Meanwhile, Russian energy analysts have warned that completely replacing Russian crude would be impractical for Indian refiners. Igor Yushkov of the National Energy Security Fund noted that U.S. shale oil is primarily composed of lighter grades, while Russian Urals crude is heavier and sulfur-rich, which better suits Indian refinery configurations.
“India would need to blend U.S. oil with other grades, increasing costs. A simple substitution is not possible,” Yushkov stated, adding that Russia typically supplies between 1.5 and 2 million barrels per day to India—volumes that the U.S. cannot easily match.
India imports nearly 88 percent of its crude oil requirements. Russian oil accounted for just 0.2 percent of India’s imports until 2021; however, following Western sanctions on Moscow due to its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, India emerged as the largest buyer of discounted Russian crude.
According to data from analytics firm Kpler, India’s imports of Russian crude have declined in recent months, falling to about 1.1 million barrels per day in early January, down from higher levels seen last year. Despite this decrease, analysts indicate that Russian oil continues to play a significant role in fulfilling India’s energy needs.
