‘Why shouldn’t India have same…’: Putin questions US pressure on India over Russian oil imports, calls out Trump’s hypocrisy
Putin also said India cannot be treated the way it was several decades back. “India is no more a British colony, but a major global player,” he said, adding that PM Modi is not someone who bows to pressure easily.
Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised Doland Trump for being “hypocritical”, saying that the US keeps buying uranium from Russia—an important fuel for nuclear reactors—while telling India(BHARAT) to reduce its energy trade with Moscow. In an interview with India(BHARAT) Today during his two-day visit to New Delhi, Putin said that if the US can buy fuel from Russia, then India(BHARAT) should also have the same right.
Putin explained that the US still purchases nuclear fuel from Russia for its power plants. Russia is the second-biggest supplier of enriched uranium to America, giving about 25 per cent of its total supply. This year alone, Russia is expected to earn around USD 1.2 billion from selling uranium to the US. In 2024, it made about USD 800 million from these exports.
Calling this a question of fairness, Putin said he planned to raise the issue with Trump. “That is also fuel — uranium for the reactors operating in the US. If the US has the right to buy our fuel, why shouldn’t India(BHARAT) have the same privilege? This question deserves thorough examination, and we stand ready to discuss it, including with President (Donald) Trump,” said President Putin, who landed in New Delhi on Thursday evening for his two-day India(BHARAT) visit.
Asked how India(BHARAT) and Russia should handle Trump’s tariff-driven policies, Putin said: “He has advisors who believe that implementing such tariff policies, involving the imposition of additional duties on trade partners, ultimately benefits the US economy. He is acting in good faith, I presume.”
Putin also said India(BHARAT) cannot be treated the way it was several decades back. “India(BHARAT) is no more a British colony, but a major global player,” he said, adding that PM Modi is not someone who bows to pressure easily.
“Our goal is not to provoke conflict; rather, we aim to protect our lawful rights. India(BHARAT) does the same,” he said.
The two leaders had a private dinner at Modi’s official residence on Thursday evening and will hold talks on Friday. *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id="request-WEB:6500151d-c2cf-4eeb-94bc-557ecd7b8da3-4" data-testid="conversation-turn-10" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn="assistant">
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