India has dismissed recent remarks made by US President Donald Trump, who claimed that he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue of oil imports from Russia. The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday, October 16, clarified that no such telephonic conversation had taken place between the two leaders.
During his regular weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about Trump’s statement. He said, “Regarding the comment from the US on energy issue, we have already issued a statement, which you can refer to. As for the telephonic conversation, I can say that there has been no discussion between the Prime Minister and President Trump.”
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The clarification came after Trump, speaking at a press conference in the White House on Wednesday, October 15, said that Prime Minister Modi had “assured” him that India would not be purchasing oil from Russia. “He assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia… You can’t do it immediately. It’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon, and all we want from President Putin… is to stop this,” Trump said. He added that if India stopped importing oil from Russia, “it makes it much easier” to end the ongoing conflict.
Weekly Media Briefing by the Official Spokesperson (October 16, 2025)
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 16, 2025
https://t.co/wexxLMoW7g
The US President went on to praise the Indian leader, describing him as a “great man” and India as “an incredible country.” He also expressed willingness to meet Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.
“Yeah, sure, he’s a friend of mine. We have a great relationship,” Trump said. “He’s a great man. He loves Trump… I have watched India for years. It’s an incredible country, and every single year you’d have a new leader. I mean, some would be in there for a few months, and this was year after year after year. And my friend has been there now for a long time,” he added.
Trump also introduced Sergio Gor, the new US Ambassador to India, during the same briefing. “We have the new ambassador to India right here. They’re well represented. You better represent us, not them, okay? But Sergio is going to do a great job. He’s going to do a great job,” Trump remarked.
The comments from the US President come at a time when India’s trade negotiating team is in Washington for the next round of discussions with American officials. The talks are taking place shortly after Ambassador Gor’s meetings in New Delhi with Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
