A senior White House official has accused India of providing financial support to Russia in its war against Ukraine.
Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff in the Trump administration and a close ally of Donald Trump, made the accusation during a television interview. He claimed that India has supported Russia’s war effort by purchasing oil from Moscow.
Miller further stated that former President Trump shares the same view — that India has assisted Russia in the war.
“President Trump has clearly said that it is unacceptable for India to support Russia in the war by buying its oil,” Miller said during the interview.
Despite Trump’s warnings, India has said it will not halt its oil purchases from Russia.
Trump had previously threatened to raise tariffs on countries that continue to buy Russian oil, as part of his pressure campaign to force a ceasefire in Ukraine. His strategy, he said, was to economically weaken Russia by cutting off its oil revenue, thereby pushing it toward ending the war.
However, India has made it clear that it will not stop importing Russian oil, even under pressure from Trump.
On Saturday, two senior Indian officials told international news agency Reuters that India would not stop purchasing oil from Russia, despite threats from Donald Trump.
They stated that the oil purchases are based on long-term agreements and cannot be halted abruptly.
“These are long-term oil contracts. It’s not easy to suddenly stop buying,” one of the officials told Reuters.
Another official said that there would be no immediate change in India’s policy.
“Crude oil imported from Russia is not under direct sanctions like Iranian or Venezuelan oil. India is buying it at prices below the cap set by the European Union,” the official noted.
Indian government spokespeople have not issued any formal response regarding Russian oil purchases. However, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a regular press briefing on Friday that India’s relationship with Russia remains one of trust and stability.
“Our relationship with Russia is steady and reliable,” he stated.
Trump has warned that if India continues buying weapons and oil from Russia, he will impose even higher tariffs. Following the expiration of the August 1 deadline, Trump announced new tariffs, including a 25% duty on India.
Trump claimed on social media that he had heard reports that India had stopped buying Russian oil.
India is the world’s third-largest oil importer and consumer. Russian oil accounts for roughly 35% of its total supply.
From January to June this year, India imported 1.75 million barrels of Russian oil per day — a 1% increase compared to the same period last year.
