Speaking to reporters onboard Air Force One, Trump said India will continue to pay massive tariffs if it does not cease buying oil from Russia, adding that it (India) does not want to do that.

Trump was replying to a question about India's recent remarks on oil purchases from Russia.

Congress had earlier criticised Modi, calling him “mauni baba” whenever Trump states that he stopped Operation Sindoor or that India will reduce its oil imports from Russia.

The comment came after Trump repeated his claims that India will not be buying oil from Russia, saying that the country has already "de-escalated" and is "pulling back".

This was the second time that Trump has made such claims.

Ramesh, on Saturday, said Trump has yet again stated that he has been assured by his "good friend" that India will cut back on its imports of oil from Russia.

"But that good friend suddenly becomes a Mauni Baba whenever President Trump says he stopped Operation Sindoor and now when he says that India will reduce its imports of oil from Russia," Ramesh said in another post on X.

India on Thursday said it is "broad-basing and diversifying" its sourcing of energy to meet market conditions, hours after Trump claimed that PM Modi had assured him that New Delhi will stop procuring Russian crude oil.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to questions on Trump's remarks that PM Modi made the assurance to him on Wednesday, said that no conversation between the two leaders took place.

He said that he was not aware of any such phone conversation, adding India's oil purchases are guided to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumers in a "volatile" energy scenario.