India’s imports of Russian oil declined by 8.4% between April and September year-on-year, influenced by narrower discounts and tighter availability. As refiners shift their focus towards sourcing oil from the Middle East and the United States, this trend has been noted in trade data and shipping reports.
The United States has increased pressure on India to limit its Russian oil imports amid concerns over the funding of Moscow’s military actions in Ukraine. White House trade adviser Peter Navarro highlighted that these purchases contribute to the ongoing conflict.
During the first half of the fiscal year, which commenced on April 1, India imported an average of 1.75 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian oil. In September, the volume remained steady at 1.6 million bpd compared to August, but represents a decrease of 14.2% from September of the previous year.
While Reliance Industries Ltd and Nayara Energy increased their imports in September, purchases by state refiners declined. U.S. trade negotiators have asserted that reducing Russian oil imports is vital for India to lower its tariff rate and finalize a trade agreement.
Conversely, India’s crude imports from the U.S. rose by 6.8% year-on-year during the April-September period, reaching approximately 213,000 bpd. This increase in American energy product purchases is reportedly tied to the progress of trade negotiations between the two nations.
Scott Bessent, U.S. trade secretary, stated that India is expected to recalibrate its crude import patterns, favoring more U.S. oil over Russian supplies.
Overall, India imported around 4.88 million bpd of oil in September, reflecting a slight decline of 1% from August but an increase of 3.5% compared to the same month last year. During the April-September timeframe, Russia’s share of India’s total oil imports fell to approximately 36% from 40%, while the share of U.S. oil increased marginally.
Furthermore, the contribution of Middle Eastern oil to India’s overall imports rose from 42% to 45%, elevating OPEC countries’ share from 45% to 49%.
This report was published on October 14, 2025.
