In August, India's imports of Russian crude oil decreased to approximately 2.1 million barrels per day, down from the 2.8 million barrels per day recorded in June and July. According to Kpler, this represents a decline of 17–26%. Despite this drop, Russia remains India's primary oil supplier, accounting for 40–45% of total imports.
The reduction in volume is attributed to three main factors: scheduled maintenance at Indian refineries, supply constraints due to infrastructure attacks near Black Sea export routes, and increased competition from Chinese buyers. To compensate, India increased imports from the UAE, which supplied 610–620 thousand barrels per day, and from Venezuela.
Shipping data suggests a further decline in September, with imports projected to reach 1.9 million barrels per day, a 32% decrease from summer peaks. Analysts expect market flows to stabilize between 2.0 and 2.5 million barrels per day. Meanwhile, Indian refiners are increasing spot-market purchases in anticipation of potential US tariffs on Russian oil.
