Trump Secures India's Commitment to Ditch Russian Oil Amid Global Pressure

US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured him that India will not purchase oil from Russia, a move aimed at cutting off Moscow's energy revenues. According to sources close to the matter, Trump expressed confidence in his administration's ability to convince China to follow suit and stop buying Russian oil. "I think we can get China to do it too," Trump said. "We're working on that." India and China are the top buyers of Russian seaborne crude exports, taking advantage of discounted prices due to sanctions imposed by the US and European Union following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The development comes as Washington intensifies efforts to reduce Moscow's energy revenues. Trump has recently targeted India for its Russian oil purchases, imposing tariffs on Indian exports to the US. A spokesperson for the Indian government declined to comment on the matter, saying only that "India is committed to reducing its dependence on imported oil." However, some analysts see this move as a significant shift in India's energy policy. "This could be a game-changer for India's energy sector," said Rohan Gupta, an energy expert at the Centre for Policy Research. "If India can reduce its reliance on Russian oil, it will not only help to cut off Moscow's revenue streams but also give New Delhi more negotiating power in global energy markets." The US has been pushing its allies and partners to reduce their dependence on Russian oil since the invasion of Ukraine. The move is seen as a key part of Washington's efforts to weaken Russia's economy. In related news, Trump claimed that India had offered to reduce tariffs on US goods to zero, but this claim was met with skepticism by some experts. "While it's possible that India may be willing to make concessions on trade, there's no concrete evidence to support this claim," said Arvind Subramanian, a former chief economic advisor to the Indian government. The current status of the situation remains unclear, but one thing is certain: Washington will continue to push its allies and partners to reduce their dependence on Russian oil. As Trump put it, "We're not going to let Russia get away with this." *Reporting by Aljazeera.*