India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified its stance regarding US President Donald Trump's recent statement about India's oil imports from Russia. On Thursday, the MEA responded to Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him India would cease purchasing Russian oil. The ministry emphasized that India's import policies are primarily focused on protecting the interests of Indian consumers amid fluctuating energy prices.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario." He highlighted that India's energy policy aims for stable prices and secure supplies, which involves diversifying energy sources to adapt to market conditions.

The MEA also noted that the Trump administration has expressed interest in enhancing energy cooperation with India, with ongoing discussions to expand energy procurement. Jaiswal mentioned, "Where the US is concerned, we have for many years sought to expand our energy procurement. This has steadily progressed in the last decade."

Trump, during a recent statement, claimed that PM Modi assured him that India would stop buying oil from Russia, following the imposition of tariffs on such purchases. He remarked, "You know, you can't do it immediately. It's a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon."

When asked about India's reliability as a partner, Trump expressed confidence, stating, "Yeah, sure. He's (PM Modi) a friend of mine. We have a great relationship. I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That's a big stop. Now we've got to get China to do the same thing." Trump reiterated his friendship with Modi, emphasizing their strong relationship.