Indian refinery revives Russian crude purchases amid US scrutiny PHOTO

At least three tankers loaded with Russian crude are en route to Reliance Industries Ltd.’s west coast refinery in India after the company resumed modest purchases following a short pause amid increased US scrutiny.

According to analytics firm Kpler, the ships, carrying nearly 2.2 million barrels of Urals crude, are bound for Reliance’s Jamnagar complex and are expected to unload early this month, Bloomberg reports.

The crude will be refined into fuels for domestic consumption rather than export.

Reliance had temporarily halted Russian oil purchases after the US blacklisted Rosneft PJSC and Lukoil PJSC in October, but has now resumed sourcing from alternative suppliers. 

Rosneft had previously been the refiner’s largest Russian oil supplier under a term deal to deliver 500,000 barrels per day. A company spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

India’s oil trade with Russia has drawn criticism from former President Donald Trump and senior US officials, though the country has publicly resisted pressure. The uncertainty prompted Indian refiners to scale back purchases, with imports last month falling to a three-year low.

Reliance, controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, was the world’s top buyer of Russian crude for most of 2024 and 2025. After the Ukraine war, India and China became key outlets for Russian oil as other buyers shunned it.

Russian crude shipments to Jamnagar fell to roughly 270,000 barrels per day in December, representing just under 20% of Reliance’s total crude imports, down from more than 40% between January and November, according to Kpler.

Reliance is not alone in importing Russian oil; state-owned Indian Oil Corp. and Bharat Petroleum Corp. have also bought cargoes from non-sanctioned suppliers, attracted by steep discounts, tight refining margins, and ongoing uncertainty in trade negotiations with Washington.

By Jeyhun Aghazada