Reliance, MRPL, and HPCL-Mittal will halt Russian oil imports, previously over half of India’s 1.8 million bpd Russian crude intake in H1 2025
NEW DELHI
India will scale down its direct imports of Russian crude oil starting late November, following new US sanctions on Russia’s top energy companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, which take effect on November 21.
Analysts say the move marks a key shift in India’s energy sourcing strategy but note that Russian oil will not vanish entirely—it will just arrive through more complex routes.
According to maritime intelligence firm Kpler, the sanctions will lead to a steep drop in Russian oil shipments in December, with gradual recovery expected by early 2026 via intermediaries and alternative trade channels.
Top private refiner Reliance Industries Ltd., which has a long-term contract with Rosneft, plans to halt Russian oil purchases. State-run refiners such as Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. (MRPL) and HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd. will also suspend imports. Together, these firms accounted for more than half of India’s 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian crude imports during the first half of 2025.
However, Nayara Energy’s Vadinar refinery—partly owned by Rosneft and already under EU sanctions—will likely continue sourcing Russian oil.
“Most Indian refiners will comply with the sanctions and reduce direct purchases,” said Sumit Ritolia, Lead Research Analyst at Kpler. “This will cause a sharp decline in Russian crude arrivals in December, with recovery expected in early 2026.”
BOX
The outcome
- To compensate, refiners are ramping up imports from the Middle East, Latin America, West Africa, Canada, and the US.
- American crude imports reached their highest level since March 2021, highlighting India’s effort to diversify supplies despite rising freight costs, as per reports.