Russian oil imports to India jump 50 times; now accounts for 10% of all import: official

India has become the key market outlet for Russian crude oil: Data analytics firm Kpler

Russian-origin crude accounted for 10 percent of India’s total seaborne imports in April for the first time, rising from 0.2 percent throughout 2021 and Q1 2022. India, the world’s third-biggest oil-importing and consuming nation, has long defended purchases of crude oil from Russia following President Vladimir Putin ordering the invasion of Ukraine.

The Oil Ministry had last month stated that "energy purchases from Russia remain minuscule in comparison to India’s total consumption." Iraq remained the top supplier to India in May and Saudi Arabia is now the third biggest supplier. India has taken advantage of discounted prices to ramp up oil imports from Russia at a time when global energy prices have been rising.

After the US and China, India is the world’s third-largest consumer of oil, over 85 percent of which is imported. Following its invasion of Ukraine, there are now fewer buyers for Russia’s Ural crude oil, with some foreign governments and companies deciding to shun Russian energy exports, and its price has fallen.

Indian refiners have taken advantage of this and bought Russian crude oil at discount as high as USD 30 per barrel.

Earlier, the crude was disadvantageous because of the high freight cost.

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