Goa, Aug. 2 -- Former US President Donald Trump on Saturday welcomed reports suggesting that India may have halted its purchase of Russian oil, calling it a "good step" if confirmed. His remarks follow Washington's recent move to impose penalties on New Delhi over its continued energy and defence dealings with Moscow.

"I understand that India is no longer going to be buying oil from Russia. That's what I heard, I don't know if that's right or not. That is a good step. We will see what happens," Trump told reporters, hinting at a potential shift in India's energy sourcing policy.

However, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded with caution, asserting that India's energy procurement is dictated by market conditions and strat...