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India Defies US Pressure, Continues Buying Russian Oil
4 Aug
Summary
- India receives millions of barrels of Russian crude oil
- US ramps up pressure on India to stop Russian oil purchases
- India has not asked refiners to stop Russian crude imports
On August 4, 2025, India remains a major buyer of Russian seaborne oil, even as the US ramps up pressure on the South Asian country to stop these purchases. Over the past weekend, at least four tankers discharged millions of barrels of Russian crude at Indian refineries, a sign that these closely scrutinized deliveries are continuing as normal.
The US has been demanding that India halt trade with Russia, with a senior aide recently accusing India of effectively funding President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. However, India has not asked its private and state-owned refineries to stop importing Russian crude, according to people familiar with the matter.
Several Aframax tankers, including the Achilles, Elyte, Horae, and Mikati, have unloaded nearly 2.9 million barrels of Urals and Varandey crude at refineries owned by companies like Nayara Energy, Reliance Industries, Bharat Petroleum, and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals. More tankers are expected to discharge an additional 2.2 million barrels of Urals in the coming hours.
India's appetite for discounted Russian crude has long been a point of contention with the US and its Western allies. However, the country remains the single largest buyer of Moscow's seaborne oil, a position that has drawn increased scrutiny in recent weeks, even before the latest comments from the US.
