Letter from India: Russian imports remain dominant
India’s newfound reliance on discounted Russian crude continues to grow
Russia was India’s largest crude oil supplier in December for the third consecutive month, displacing traditional exporters Iraq and Saudi Arabia and hitting a fresh volume record. Russian imports reached 1.19mn bl/d over the last month of 2022, accounting for more than 25pc of India’s total and surpassing the previous high of 942,694bl/d registered in June, according to data from energy analytics firm Vortexa. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has dramatically changed from where Indian refiners source their crude. Before Moscow’s invasion of its neighbour, more than 60pc of India’s crude oil imports originated from the Middle East, with North America accounting for 14pc, West Africa 12pc, Latin A
Also in this section
12 December 2025
The federal government is working with Alberta to improve the country’s access to Asian markets and reduce dependence on the US, but there are challenges to their plans
12 December 2025
The latest edition of our annual Outlook publication, titled 'The shape of energy to come: Creating unique pathways and managing shifting alliances', is available now
11 December 2025
The removal of the ban on oil and gas exploration and an overhaul of the system sends all the right messages for energy security, affordability and sustainability
10 December 2025
The economic and environmental cost of the seven-year exploration ban will be felt long after its removal






