US President Donald Trump on Saturday followed up on previous comments by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on granting India a 30-day waiver to purchase Russian oil amid the Middle East conflict and its effects on global energy trade.
On board Air Force One, Trump on Saturday was asked whether he was considering “any other moves” for India.
“Well if there were some, I would do it just to take a little of the pressure off … the oil pressure,” Trump said in response.
“But there’s a lot of oil, we got a lot of oil, our country has a tremendous amount of it,” Trump further said, without providing any other details.
Trump’s comments on Saturday come after Treasury Secretary Bessent on Friday announced a “temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil.”
While Bessent’s comments had sparked a row in India, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political opposition accusing his government of being subject to the whims of Trump, Indian officials rejected the claim that New Delhi needed approval from the US for its energy needs.
“India will buy oil from wherever it is available. Our oil purchases will not be governed by any hollow slogans. India has never depended on permission from any country to buy Russian oil,” a senior government official told. PTIin response.
India an ‘essential partner’
However, Bessent also said that the temporary waiver was a “stop-gap measure” to “alleviate pressure caused by Iran’s attempt to take global energy hostage.”
Describing India is an “essential partner ” of the US, Bessent added that the Trump administration “fully anticipates[s] that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of US oil.”
Subsequently, in an interview with Fox BusinessBessent added, “The Indians have been very good actors. We had asked them to stop buying sanctioned Russian oil this fall. They did. They were going to substitute it with US oil.”
“But to ease the temporary gap of oil around the world, we have given them permission to accept Russian oil. We may un-sanction other Russian oil,” the Treasury Secretary said.
It wasn’t clear whether Trump’s comments on Saturday were indicative of the US selling Venezuelan oil to India in the near future.
Earlier, during the India AI Impact Summit 2026, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor had said that negotiations with New Delhi were underway on India buying Venezuelan oil through the US.
“On the oil, there’s an agreement. We have seen India diversify on their oil. There is a commitment,” the US Ambassador had said.
‘No shortage of energy in India’
India currently sources nearly 40% of its oil imports from the Middle East, with a significant portion of trade taking place through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Now, with conflict in the Middle East bringing commercial traffic to a standstill in the Strait of Hormuz, India has been forced to re-evaluate.
According to news agency ANIwhich cited government sources, New Delhi is reviewing its energy situation twice a day and is in a very comfortable position regarding its energy security.
India’s current stock position is also seen to be comfortable, ANI reported, adding that stocks were being replenished every day.
New Delhi currently has access to more energy supplies from diversified sources than the volume that could potentially be impacted through the Strait of Hormuz, the report added, citing people familiar with the matter.
India’s existing stock of crude oil and petroleum products is also adequate to meet domestic demand, the report said.
Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri on Friday also said there is no shortage of energy in India and there is no reason for consumers to worry. The minister discussed with the media various aspects of India’s uninterrupted energy imports despite geopolitical challenges.
“Our priority is to ensure availability of affordable and sustainable fuel for our citizens, and we are doing it comfortably. There is no shortage of energy in India and there is no cause of worry for our energy consumers,” Puri posted on X.
