Two days after US President Donald Trump announced a new India–US trade deal and claimed that New Delhi would stop buying Russian oil, Russia has said that India is free to purchase oil from any country it chooses.

Russia’s response came through Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who said that Moscow does not see anything unusual in Trump’s statement. He stressed that Russia is not India’s only oil supplier and that India has always sourced oil from multiple countries.

Russia Says India Buys Oil From Many Sources

Speaking on the issue, Peskov pointed out that India has long diversified its oil imports. According to PTI, he said, “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.”

His remarks were made in response to questions about Trump’s claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to stop buying Russian oil and instead shift purchases to the United States.

Moscow Says It Has Heard Nothing From New Delhi

On Tuesday, Peskov said that Russia has not received any official communication from India on this matter. He added that Moscow continues to value its relationship with New Delhi and intends to strengthen the partnership going forward.

Peskov said Russia remains committed to its strategic ties with India, regardless of statements made elsewhere.

What Trump Said About the Trade Deal

President Trump announced the new trade deal between Washington and New Delhi on Monday. He said the agreement included lower reciprocal tariffs for Indian goods. At the same time, he claimed that India would halt purchases of Russian oil and significantly increase imports of American goods.

While India has officially confirmed the tariff reduction, it has not issued any statement confirming a halt in Russian oil imports.

Phone Call Between Modi and Trump

Trump and Prime Minister Modi announced the trade development after a phone conversation on Monday. After the call, Modi said Indian goods would now face a reduced US tariff of 18%. Earlier, India was subject to a 25% reciprocal tariff, along with an additional 25% penalty.

In a social media post, PM Modi said, “Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement,"

However, Modi’s post only mentioned tariff relief. It did not refer to a trade deal or make any commitment related to Russian oil purchases.

Russian Media Flags the Difference in Statements

Russian radio channel Kommersant FM noted a clear difference between the two leaders’ statements. The channel pointed out that, unlike President Trump, Prime Minister Modi did not mention any agreement to stop importing Russian oil.

This contrast has raised questions about whether the oil issue is actually part of the trade deal.

Experts Say Russian Oil Cannot Be Easily Replaced

A leading Russian energy expert has also expressed doubts about the feasibility of India fully stopping Russian oil imports. He said Indian refineries depend heavily on Russian crude and cannot easily replace it with US supplies.

Igor Yushkov, a senior expert at the National Energy Security Fund, said, according to PTI, "The American shale oil they export is light grades, similar to gas condensate. Russia, on the other hand, supplies relatively heavy, sulfur-rich Urals. This means India will need to blend US crude with other grades, which incurs additional costs, meaning a simple substitution won't be possible,"

Volume Gap Between Russian and US Supplies

Yushkov also highlighted the scale of India’s dependence on Russian oil. He said, "Russia typically exports 1.5 million to 2 million barrels per day to the country. America won't be able to cover that volume. So, one gets the sense that Trump is simply trying to show that he won these trade negotiations and the deal was concluded entirely in line with US demands,"

His comments suggest that logistical and technical limits make a complete switch away from Russian oil unlikely in the near term.