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NEW DELHI: Crude imports from Russia remained astatine the apical of India’s lipid handbasket contempt US informing New Delhi against purchases from Moscow and the Trump medication aboriginal levying an further 25% penal tariff.Indian lipid purchases from Moscow picked up successful 2023, soon aft the Ukraine warfare broke retired and Russian crude became disposable astatine heavy discounts. Data showed adjacent arsenic US officials successful 2023 and 2024 repeatedly raised concerns that India’s purchases of discounted Russian crude were weakening Western sanctions aim-ed astatine cutting Moscow’s warfare revenues, New Delhi imported 1.5 to 2.1 cardinal barrels a day.US President Donald Tru-mp announced a 25% tariff connected Indian goods successful July 2025, expanding unit connected exporters, and imposed an further 25% work linked to Russian lipid purchases a week later.
Department of commerce information showed Russian lipid imports successful Aug, Sept, Oct and Nov remained successful the scope of 6.5 to 7.7 cardinal tonnes, oregon astir 1.6 to 1.8 cardinal barrels a day.The interaction of US sanctions connected Russian lipid majors Rosneft and Lukoil, which came into effect connected Nov 21, 2025, however, reflected successful Indian purchases successful Dec and Jan, erstwhile the stock of Russian crude was 25% and 20%, astatine 5.8 cardinal tonnes and 4.5 cardinal tonnes, respectively.
While authoritative numbers connected crude imports for Feb are yet to beryllium released, information shared by planetary analytics steadfast Kpler showed that India imported a small implicit 1 cardinal barrels of crude from Russia each day, oregon astir 4 cardinal tonnes during the month.In 2025, India purchased astir 263 cardinal tonnes of crude from antithetic geographies, of which astir 85 cardinal tonnes, oregon 32.3%, came from Russia.New Delhi has diversified its portfolio and added West Africa, the US and Latin America to its database of suppliers.
With supplies from West Asia getting choked owed to the struggle and restrictions connected the question of vessels done Strait of Hormuz, India is again looking towards Russia to support its vigor security.“Russia remains the largest supplier of crude lipid to India, with imports continuing contempt fluctuating volumes and geopolitical pressure. Going forward, we whitethorn spot its stock going down but it volition stay among the top,” said an official.Sources said India ne'er stopped sourcing crude from Russia contempt Trump linking the withdrawal of a 25% punishment tariff successful the projected commercialized woody model to New Delhi’s purported pledge to halt specified purchases.The US precocious announced a 30-day waiver to India to acquisition Russian oil. Sources connected Saturday said it simply “removed a constituent of friction” that was ne'er successful anyone’s involvement to sustain. They added that India had ne'er depended connected support from immoderate state to bargain Russian oil, and Moscow continues to beryllium India’s largest crude supplier.“We root crude from wherever supplies are available, competitively priced and deliverable — and we volition proceed to bash so,” said an official.
