Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addresses a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on February 12, 2026.. Credit:X/@MEAIndia. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has once again refused to directly deny claims by the United States government on Russian oil imports on Thursday (February 12, 2026). This comes after a senior U.S. official said that India had reduced its purchases of Russian crude, as the U.S. “wanted [India] to.” The government expressed satisfaction at the amendments made by the U.S. administration to its “fact sheet” on the India-U.S. trade deal. The fact sheet, available on the White House website, has now dropped contentious references to pulses and agriculture, saying it reflects the “shared understanding” between India and the U.S. on trade. However, it continues to state that India has committed to stop buying Russian oil. “The Joint Statement is the framework and remains the basis of our mutual understanding in the matter. Both sides will now work towards implementing this framework and finalising the Interim Agreement,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. “The …