India faces US heat as sanctioned Russian oil tankers linger near Sikka port

At least four oil tankers carrying Russian crude are currently idling off India’s western coast, drawing renewed attention to the country’s energy trade with Moscow as Washington and Brussels increase pressure over the purchases.

According to ship-tracking data, cited by Bloomberg, the Achilles and Elyte are anchored near the port of Jamnagar and were scheduled to offload their cargoes at nearby Sikka on August 2 and 3.

Both vessels, which loaded Urals crude from the Russian ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga in late June, have been sanctioned by both the European Union and the United Kingdom.

India, which now sources over a third of its crude oil from Russia, has faced growing scrutiny in recent weeks, particularly following a new wave of EU sanctions imposed in mid-July. Earlier this week, the Trump administration cited these imports as a key reason for slapping high tariffs on Indian goods and warned of further penalties if purchases of Russian oil continued. In response, the Indian government has instructed domestic refiners to prepare alternative crude sourcing plans and report back.

The Achilles and Elyte are both Aframax-class tankers, capable of carrying about 700,000 barrels of oil each. Sikka port is used by India’s major refiners, including Reliance Industries Ltd. and Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd., though neither company responded to requests for comment.

Two other Aframax tankers, the Destan and Horae, are also loitering further off the Indian coast. Both picked up cargoes of Urals crude between June 24 and July 1.

The Destan, also sanctioned by the EU and UK, is reportedly en route to Sikka in the coming days, while the final destination of the Horae — which is not sanctioned by the EU, UK, or US — remains unknown. Shipping routes for both vessels could still change.

By Tamilla Hasanova