The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday clarified that there was no phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Wednesday. Thus, he refuted Trump’s claim that Prime Minister Modi had assured him that India would stop buying oil from Russia. On US President Trump’s statement on India’s purchase of Russian oil, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “…on the question whether there was any conversation or phone call between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump, I am not aware of any conversation that took place between the two leaders yesterday.”
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On Wednesday, US President Trump, speaking to reporters in Washington, claimed that Prime Minister Modi had assured him that India would not buy Russian oil. He said, “Prime Minister Modi has assured me today that he will not buy oil from Russia. This is a big step. Now we have to get China to do the same.” Despite Western sanctions, India’s continued purchase of petroleum products from Russia has become a major issue, resulting in a sharp deterioration in relations between New Delhi and Washington.
Speaking to reporters in his Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said the US is “not happy” that India is buying crude oil from Russia, and argued that such purchases help finance President Vladimir Putin’s wars. Responding to a question, the US President said, “He (Modi) is my friend, we have very good relations… We were not happy with his buying oil from Russia because it gave Russia the opportunity to continue this senseless war in which they have lost 1.5 lakh people.”
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“I was not happy that India was buying oil, and (Modi) assured me today that they will not buy oil from Russia. This is a big step. Now we have to ask China to do the same,” he said.