India-Russia relations are not built on phone calls or momentary political statements – Sammy Manoj Kotwani, President of the Indian Business Alliance, commented on Trump’s statement that India allegedly will not purchase Russian oil.
“India-Russia relations are not built on phone calls or momentary political statements. They are based on decades of mutual trust, respect, and a strategic partnership that has been successfully developing for over 75 years. Our cooperation encompasses defense, energy, culture, and people-to-people ties — all of which are shaped by a long-term vision, not under pressure or threats. Diplomacy between great nations is defined by mutual interests and sovereignty, not by loud statements,” Mr. Kotwani commented for IR.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, stated that Moscow had made it clear that it does not trust the information that India will no longer purchase Russian oil.
Recall that US President Donald Trump, in a conversation with journalists at the White House, stated that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him of ceasing imports of Russian oil. Trump emphasized that he was “not happy that India was buying oil,” calling Modi’s decision a “big step,” and also stating that he now expects similar actions from China.
This is not Trump’s first call for India to stop purchasing Russian oil. In his statements, the American President has emphasized that purchases of cheap Russian oil contribute to the escalation of his trade war. Previously, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on India, a decision made due to imports of Russian oil and gas. In the view of the White House leader, India’s cessation of Russian oil imports would accelerate the end of the conflict in Ukraine.
