NEW DELHI: India on Thursday clarified that its oil import decisions are solely driven by the need to protect Indian consumers amid a volatile global energy market, responding indirectly to US President Donald Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him India would stop buying oil from Russia .

Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said he was “not happy” about India buying Russian crude and that Modi had “assured” him the purchases would end “within a short period of time.”

“I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big step. Now we’ve got to get China to do the same thing,” Trump said.

He also linked Indian purchases of Russian oil to the war in Ukraine. “He (Modi) is a friend

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