skip to contentAdvertisementBy: Express Web Desk New Delhi,November 7, 2025 07:16 AM IST First published on: Nov 7, 2025 at 07:16 AM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookUS President Donald Trump addresses a press conference at the White House on Thursday. (AP Photo)United States President Donald Trump on Thursday, commenting on the progress of trade talks with India, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “largely stopped buying oil from Russia”. Calling Modi a “great man” and a “friend”, Trump announced he may visit India in 2026 as part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen relations between the two nations.Addressing reporters at the White House on the trade talks between India and the US, Trump said, “They are going good; he stopped buying oil from Russia largely. He is a friend of mine, and we speak; he wants me to go there [India]. We will figure that out; I will go… Prime Minister Modi is a great man and I will be going…”On his plan to visit India next year, the US President said, “It could be, yes.”Last week, India confirmed that it remained “engaged with the US side” to reach a trade deal even as Indian exports to the US face 50 per cent tariffs, 25 per cent as reciprocal duties and another 25 per cent as a penalty linked to New Delhi’s crude oil imports from Russia. On Tuesday, reaffirming Trump’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “The President is positive and feels very strongly about the India-US relationship. A few weeks ago, he spoke to the Prime Minister directly when he celebrated Diwali in the Oval Office…”Trump repeats claims; MEA respondsThe remarks followed Trump’s claims last month that PM Modi had assured him that New Delhi would gradually stop buying oil from Moscow by the “end of the year”. Trump said, “India, as you know, has told me they are going to stop… It’s a process. You can’t just stop [buying oil from Russia]. By the end of the year, they’ll be down to almost nothing, almost 40% of the oil. India, they’ve been great… They’ve been absolutely great.”Most ReadTrump on Diwali in October also claimed that he had been assured by PM Modi during a phone call that New Delhi would stop buying oil from Russia. However, the claim was contested by the Ministry of External Affairs. In a statement, the MEA said, “As far as a telephone or a conversation between the two leaders, there was no phone call between the two leaders yesterday.”The MEA also reiterated earlier this month that the country’s energy sourcing decisions are based on national interests and consumer welfare.AdvertisementAdvertisementLoading Taboola...