India to cut Russian oil imports by year-end: Trump after new sanctions
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US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) reiterated his claim that India would significantly reduce its imports of Russian oil by the end of this year, calling it a “gradual process”. His statement followed US sanctions against two major Russian oil companies and renewed calls for Moscow to end its war in Ukraine.
"India, as you know, has told me they are going to stop... it's a process. You can't just stop (buying oil from Russia). By the end of the year, they'll be down to almost nothing; almost 40 percent of the oil. India, they've been great. Spoke to Prime Minister Modi yesterday. They've been absolutely great," Trump said.
Trump comments on China and Russia ties
Trump also discussed China’s relations with Russia, warning that Beijing could face tariffs as high as 155 per cent starting November 1 if no trade agreement is reached.
"China is a little bit different. They have a little bit different relationship with Russia. It was never good, but because of Biden and Obama, they got forced together. They should never have been forced together... They (China-Russia) can't be friendly... I hope they are friendly, but they can't be..." Trump said.
He added that he plans to engage in talks about ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “What I'll really be talking to him about is how do we end the war with Russia and Ukraine, whether it's through oil or energy or anything else. I think he's going to be very receptive,” he said.
Talks with PM Modi during Diwali celebrations
During Diwali celebrations at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed, mainly, trade and energy.
“We talked about a lot of things, but mostly the world of trade,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. He added that energy imports were also discussed, claiming that Modi assured him India would scale back 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.
This marks the second week in a row that Trump has claimed PM Modi promised to curb Russian oil imports. On Sunday (local time), Trump again said, “I spoke with Prime Minister Modi of India, and he said he's not going to be doing the Russian oil thing,” while warning that India could face “massive” tariffs if it did not comply.
When asked about India’s denial of such a conversation, Trump replied, “But if they want to say that, then they'll just continue to pay massive tariffs, and they don't want to do that.”
Russian oil has long been a sensitive issue in US-India trade discussions. Nearly half of the 50 per cent tariffs imposed by Washington on Indian goods are linked to India’s continued purchases of Russian crude, which the US claims help fund Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Indian companies reassess Russian oil imports
Indian state-run oil refiners are reviewing their import agreements with Russian suppliers to ensure that none of their crude purchases come directly from Rosneft or Lukoil, the two firms newly hit by US sanctions, news agency Reuters reported.
Refiners have begun examining trade and shipping documents to identify any potential links with the sanctioned companies, the news report said.
The move follows Trump’s announcement of new sanctions against Russia, his first major Ukraine-related action since beginning his second term. The measures target the country’s two largest oil producers, Lukoil and Rosneft, as Washington seeks to tighten pressure on Moscow over its ongoing war in Ukraine.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the upcoming Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit in Kuala Lumpur virtually due to the ongoing Diwali festivities, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday.
In a post on X, Ibrahim said he received a call from PM Modi last night, during which the two leaders discussed the 47th Asean Summit to be held in Kuala Lumpur from October 26 to 28.
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Seven US lawmakers, including both Democrats and Republicans, have written to President Donald Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, urging them to withdraw the $100,000 fee on H-1B visas. They warned that the recent changes could harm the country’s innovation-driven economy and weaken its global competitiveness.
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Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the ‘very poor’ category for the fourth consecutive day, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). On 23 October at 8 am, the national capital recorded an AQI of 328, days after Diwali festivities filled the skies with smog.
Earlier, on 22 October, the city’s 24-hour average AQI touched 353 at 4 pm, the highest level recorded this season, up from 351 on 21 October and 345 on 20 October.
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Saudi Arabia has announced the end of its decades-old Kafala system, a controversial labour sponsorship model that controlled the lives of millions of migrant workers for more than seventy years.
The reform, unveiled in June 2025, is one of the most sweeping changes to the Gulf’s labour framework and is expected to directly benefit around 13 million foreign workers.
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