India's first comment on Trump's claim over Russian oil: 'All decisions are...'

Responding to a media query about US President Donald Trump claiming India not buying Russian oil, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that all of ‘India’s decisions are taken and will continue to be taken with the priority of ensuring security energy of 1.4 billion Indians'.

On Monday, 2 February, US President Trump announced a trade deal with India that slashes U.S. tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 50% in exchange for India halting Russian oil purchases and lowering trade barriers.

Trump announced the deal on social media following a call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that India would now buy oil from the U.S. and potentially Venezuela.

“In so far as India’s energy security or energy sourcing is concerned, the government has stated publicly on several occasions, including by me here, that ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indians is its supreme priority. Diversifying energy sourcing in keeping with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics is at the core of our strategy. All of India’s decisions are taken and will continue to be taken with this objective in mind.”

(This is a developing story. Keep checking for more updates)