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India will not halt Russian oil purchases, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's threat of sanctions, Indian officials told Reuters and The New York Times.
India will keep buying oil from Russia under long-term agreements, two Indian government sources told Reuters, pushing back against recent threats by U.S. President Donald Trump. “These are long-term oil contracts,” one source said. “It is not so simple to just stop buying overnight.”
Trump said on Friday he had heard that India would stop Russian oil imports, following earlier warnings of 100% tariffs on countries continuing energy trade with Moscow. But Indian officials, speaking anonymously to The New York Times, confirmed there had been “no change in government policy” and that oil companies had received no orders to reduce imports.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs reinforced that New Delhi's energy decisions are guided by market realities. “We look at what is there available in the markets, what is there on offer, and also what is the prevailing global situation,” ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters. He added that India has a “steady and time-tested partnership” with Russia and that relations with all countries “stand on their own merit”.
The White House has not issued a response.
While Indian state refiners – including Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp and Mangalore Refinery Petrochemical Ltd – have reportedly paused new Russian purchases in recent days due to diminishing discounts, Russian oil still accounts for about 35% of India’s total oil imports.
From January to June 2025, India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, received roughly 1.75 million barrels per day from Russia – a 1% increase from the same period last year, according to sources cited by Reuters.
However, the sector has come under further scrutiny. Nayara Energy, which is partly owned by Russia’s Rosneft and a major buyer of Russian oil, was recently sanctioned by the European Union. Its CEO resigned following the sanctions, and several of its oil tankers have yet to discharge cargoes.
Despite international pressure, India’s approach suggests it is prioritising energy security and economic pragmatism over geopolitical demands.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met King Charles III at Windsor Castle on 24 October, ahead of planned talks with European leaders in London.
Uzbekistan and the European Union (EU) are set to sign a new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA), marking a major step in bilateral relations and placing Uzbekistan among the EU’s closest partners in Central Asia.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan said the United States and others must do more to push Israel to stop violating the Gaza ceasefire agreement, including the possible use of sanctions or halting arms sales.
Southeast Asian leaders and global partners, including U.S. President Donald Trump, will gather in Kuala Lumpur from 26 to 28 October to discuss trade, regional conflicts and global security, with East Timor set to join ASEAN as its 11th member.
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