US President Donald Trump has said that he spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with their conversation focused largely on trade.
"We talked about a lot of things, but mostly the world of trade," Trump told reporters on Tuesday in the Oval Office.
Trump added that energy was also part of the discussion, saying Modi assured him that India would be limiting its oil purchases from Russia.
"He's not going to buy much oil from Russia. He wants to see that war end as much as I do," Trump said.
India and China are the two top buyers of Russian seaborne crude exports.
Increased pressure by Trump
Trump has recently targeted India for its Russian oil purchases, imposing tariffs on Indian exports to the US to discourage the country's crude buying as he seeks to pressure Moscow to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine.
Earlier, Trump threatened to impose "massive tariffs" on Indian goods unless New Delhi halts its purchases of Russian oil.
Washington has argued that continued energy trade with Russia undermines global efforts to isolate Moscow economically and indirectly helps fund its war effort.
India has been one of the biggest buyers of discounted Russian crude since the start of the war in Ukraine, with the trade helping to cushion its domestic energy costs.
Trump’s administration earlier this year raised tariffs on Indian exports — including textiles, pharmaceuticals, and auto parts — to as high as 50 percent, a move that further strained trade relations.
He said those duties would remain or even increase if India fails to curb Russian oil purchases.
