Pakistan, Oct. 17 -- WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI - India has started reducing its Russian oil imports by nearly 50% following high-level trade discussions with the United States, a senior White House official confirmed on Thursday. The move comes as Washington intensifies diplomatic pressure on New Delhi to limit its energy ties with Moscow amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The reduction marks a significant shift in India's oil sourcing strategy, which has relied heavily on discounted Russian crude since 2022.

However, Indian officials and refinery sources said the impact of this decision has not yet appeared in trade data. They explained that import cuts would likely become visible in December or January statistics, as current orders f...