India, Feb. 8 -- India on Saturday neither confirmed nor denied the Trump administration's assertion that New Delhi has committed to stop buying Russian oil as part of a bilateral trade deal, with the government reiterating that energy purchases will be diversified on the basis of market conditions and international dynamics to ensure the country's energy security.

After US President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Friday that removed the 25% punitive tariff imposed on Indian exports last year on the condition that India will not resume Russian oil purchases, the external affairs ministry reiterated a statement from earlier this week that the "supreme priority" in sourcing energy is protecting the energy security of 1.4 billion...