On February 13, that vision began to take shape when Donald Trump welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House in Washington. They engaged in lively discussions that focused on agriculture’s role in shaping trade and energy policies. The meeting at the Oval Office was a momentous occasion for the history of U.S.-India relations. It specifically zeroed in on India’s oil purchases from Russia, further calling attention to today’s east-west geopolitical rift.
In fact, during the meeting, Trump stressed that even though their discussion had ranged widely, the core topic was always the same. He stated, “We talked about a lot of things, but mostly the world of trade.” This marks the latest in a series of steps to improve economic cooperation between the two countries.
A key part of their conversation focused on India’s energy policies, specifically its continued oil imports from Russia. In fact just last week, Trump pointedly criticized India for purchasing Russian crude oil. There’s a major catch – a catch that has gotten some attention given the situation in Ukraine. He imposed tariffs on Indian exports to the U.S. as a measure to discourage these imports, aiming to put pressure on Moscow to negotiate a peace deal regarding the ongoing war.
In an attempt to assuage Trump’s worries, Modi promised him that India was going to cut its Russian oil imports. Trump in his first example, highlighted Modi’s commitment, stating, “He’s not planning to buy all that oil from Russia … He shares my goal of ending that war.” This commitment demonstrates a powerful interest by the province to end Ukraine’s conflict. In doing so, it suggests a significant shift in India’s energy policy.
In fact, India and China are the two biggest purchasers of Russian seaborne crude oil exports. Trump accelerated this by making energy such a primary focus of their talks. This new focus demonstrates the impact global energy markets have on international relations. The U.S. has been urging its allies and partners to reduce their dependence on Russian energy supplies. This step comes as just one element within a broader strategy to economically isolate Moscow.
This meeting continued a dialogue opened up by Trump and Modi on October 22. Perhaps more significantly, it reveals an important and ongoing conversation as they address the world’s most pressing issues in concert. Both countries continue to make their own bold strides through dynamic economic and geopolitical conditions. Their partnership does indeed appear poised to grow, particularly in the trade and energy sectors.