SEATTLE (Oil Monster): Russian crude oil shipments to India are set to fall to their lowest level in nearly three years in December, even as volumes are expected to rebound in early 2026 following renewed buying by major refiners, according to Bloomberg.
Data from analytical firms indicate that Russian oil deliveries to India this month may average around 1.1 million barrels per day, the weakest level since November 2022. While subdued, the figure remains above earlier projections by Indian officials after the latest round of US restrictions on Russian energy trade.
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India’s intake of Russian crude has softened in recent months amid tighter US oversight. Shipments declined sharply in July before partially recovering when refiners such as Indian Oil Corp. and Bharat Petroleum Corp. resumed purchases at discounted rates. However, Reliance Industries, India’s largest importer, paused buying in late October following US sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil.
Reliance has since restarted purchases from non-sanctioned suppliers, with Russian crude processed at its Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat for domestic use. Shipments briefly slowed to 712,000 barrels per day in mid-December before rebounding.
Further upside may come from Nayara Energy, which plans to defer maintenance at its Vadinar refinery, potentially enabling higher Russian crude imports early next year.
