New Delhi, Feb. 3 -- New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has claimed that India has agreed to stop Russian oil purchases as part of a long-pending bilateral trade deal, but analysts and refiners said that an immediate, abrupt halt is unlikely.

India is likely to continue importing around 1.2 million barrels per day of Russian oil in the next two-three months, with bookings already made for the period. A gradual decline would be the way to curb imports, rather than an immediate halt, said an executive with a refinery on the condition of anonymity.

Russian suppliers are offering discounts of up to $12 per barrel currently, the executive added.

"The India-US trade deal announced on 2 February is unlikely to result in a near-term reductio...