South Korean media: India "embarrasses" Trump, "never promised to stop buying Russian oil"!
On October 17, the South Korean newspaper "Hanminjok Daily" published an article stating that India has actually denied U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that India had committed to not purchasing Russian oil.
Recently, the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to President Trump's statement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed in a call not to purchase Russian oil by saying "we don't know." Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Gupta stated during a routine briefing: "I don't know about any conversation between the two leaders."
Trump said on the 15th that PM Modi "assured me today" that India would stop importing Russian oil. He also said that India would "stop purchasing Russian oil in a short time."
Regarding Trump's claim, the Indian government previously responded: "Protecting the interests of Indian consumers in times of turbulent energy situations is our consistent priority, and our import policy is entirely guided by this goal." The Indian government had previously stated that it was "discussing" with the United States regarding the issue of purchasing Russian oil.
In response, former Indian UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said that Trump's latest move was "typical pressure politics." He also said, "India's ambiguous response is intentional," and interpreted it as "India may quietly adjust the scale of Russian oil imports, but will not show submission to American demands." Although India may seek cooperation, according to observers, it will not retreat under Trump's pressure.
In August, Trump imposed a 25% reciprocal tariff on India for its lack of cooperation in tariff negotiations. Subsequently, he added another 25% tariff for importing Russian oil, totaling a 50% tariff. This measure worsened relations between the United States and India.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846226265641091/
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