Trump greets Modi on Diwali, repeats Russian oil claim
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has once again claimed that India is not going to buy "much oil from Russia." Celebrating Diwali at the White House, he said, "Let me extend our warmest wishes to the people of India. I just spoke to your Prime Minister today. We talked about trade." He also reiterated his earlier claim about India cutting Russian oil, stating, "He (Modi) wants to see that war end Russia and Ukraine.. So, they're continuing to cut it."
Diwali
Modi thanks Trump
The Prime Minister's Office confirmed the phone call between the two leaders. In a statement, it said the PM expressed his heartfelt appreciation to President Trump "for his warm Diwali greetings and a personal phone call marking the occasion of the festival of lights." "The Prime Minister emphasized the enduring strength of the India-United States partnership and reiterated India's unwavering commitment to combating terrorism and fostering international cooperation," the statement read.
Previous assertions
MEA denied any such conversation took place
Last week, Trump had claimed that PM Modi assured him India would stop buying Russian oil. "I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia," he said. However, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has denied that any such conversation took place between the two leaders.
Official denial
No recent conversation between the 2 leaders
When asked about Trump's claim, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that there had been no recent conversation between the two leaders. Jaiswal clarified that they had spoken on October 9, when PM Modi congratulated Trump on the success of the Gaza peace plan. The relationship between New Delhi and Washington has been strained after Trump imposed high tariffs on Indian goods.
Trade tensions
Trump spoke about tariffs on China
Apart from India, Trump also spoke about the tariffs on China, expressing his desire to maintain good relations with China but accusing it of taking advantage of the US under previous administrations. Trump also mentioned deals with the European Union, Japan, and South Korea as great for national security and economic benefits. "It's about national security. I was able to do it because of tariffs. We're getting hundreds of billions, even trillions of dollars paid into the US," he said.