(MENAFN) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko confirmed on Monday that crude oil shipments from Russia to India will continue as usual, countering US President Donald Trump’s recent claim that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “assured” him India would stop buying Russian oil. “Everything continues,” Rudenko told a news agency.

Earlier, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said he was “not aware” of any discussion between Modi and Trump regarding New Delhi’s Russian oil purchases. India had also issued a statement emphasizing that its energy trade decisions are guided solely by the goal of protecting the interests of Indian consumers amid a volatile market.

Since 2022, India has significantly increased its imports from Russia, with the country remaining the top supplier as of late September, providing roughly 1.6 million barrels per day — about one-third of India’s total crude imports. Indian companies have taken advantage of discounted Russian oil to refine and export products to European markets.

In August, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Indian imports in response to its purchases of Russian oil, claiming the trade was prolonging the Ukraine conflict. Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak expressed confidence in the continued energy partnership between Russia and India during Russia Energy Week.

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