India’s LNG imports surge 28% to 2.66M tonnes in June

India imported 2.659 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in June 2026, up 28% from 2.08 million tonnes in June 2025, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

It said this was the highest monthly import volume in the past 20 months, since October 2024, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

Since the beginning of the year, LNG imports have risen 7% to 12.844 million tonnes.

All four major Asian economies — China, Japan, South Korea and India — increased LNG imports in June amid peak summer demand. Some of the gas was redirected from the European market, where LNG imports fell 18%.

Due to its geographical location, India traditionally receives a significant share of its gas from the Middle East, although supplies from the region declined amid ongoing hostilities. The situation has also been compounded by weather conditions, with temperatures higher than last year. Supplies partially resumed in June, with six LNG cargoes arriving from the UAE and two from Qatar, accounting for 20% of the month’s imports.

The United States remained India’s largest LNG supplier in June, delivering 562,000 tonnes, or 21% of total imports. Other suppliers included Nigeria, Oman and Angola.

Foreign trade statistics also recorded two LNG shipments from Cameroon in June, bringing the year-to-date total to three. Gas from Cameroon is supplied to India under a swap arrangement within the portfolio of Gazprom Marketing & Trading, which was renamed SEFE after Germany seized it from Gazprom, while gas from Yamal LNG is delivered to other destinations.

In 2025, India ranked fifth globally in LNG imports, behind China, Japan, South Korea and France. The country currently has seven LNG receiving terminals with a combined capacity of 48 million tonnes per year.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov