India on Thursday dismissed US President Donald Trump’s assertion that he had recently spoken with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which the Indian leader allegedly promised to halt oil imports from Russia.

In a strong rebuttal, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said no such phone conversation had taken place.

“Regarding the comments from the US on the energy issue, we have already issued a statement that you may refer to. As for the telephonic conversation, I can confirm that there has been no discussion between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified.

Trump, speaking at the White House earlier this week, had claimed that PM Modi “assured” him India would soon stop purchasing oil from Moscow. He praised Modi as “a great man” and India as “an incredible country,” adding that the two leaders shared a warm relationship and could possibly meet at the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.

“He assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. It’s a process, but it will be over soon,” Trump said, suggesting that India’s decision would help end the Russia-Ukraine conflict faster.

He also introduced Sergio Gor, the new US Ambassador to India, during the media interaction, joking, “You better represent us, not them, okay? But Sergio is going to do a great job.”

India, however, reiterated that its energy policy is driven purely by national interests. “India is a major importer of oil and gas. Our top priority is to protect the interests of Indian consumers in an unpredictable global energy market,” the MEA said in an official statement.

The ministry further explained that India’s energy strategy is anchored in two key goals — ensuring stable prices and securing consistent supplies. “Broadening our sources of energy and diversifying suppliers are central to this approach,” it said.

On its cooperation with Washington, the MEA noted that India and the US have steadily expanded their energy partnership over the past decade and continue to explore new areas of collaboration.