New Delhi: India is reportedly considering importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia's Arctic region, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko
said. Rudenko made these remarks during an interview with the Russian Arctic and Far East Development portal. “With India, the joint development of oil and gas fields has remained the primary focus of cooperation for decades. The Indian side is actively involved in the operations of Vankorneft and Taas-Yuryakh Neftegazodobycha, as well as the Sakhalin-1 project, and is eyeing purchases of liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced in the Russian Arctic," the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister told the portal. "In 2024, the Program for Russian-Indian Cooperation in the Trade, Economic, and Investment Spheres in the Russian Far East for 2024–2029 was adopted, along with a framework on the principles of cooperation in the Russian Arctic Zone," he added. Rudenko further highlighted the strong potential for the two countries to work together in the logistics sector. The diplomat said both countries are exploring ways to increase shipping through the Vladivostok–Chennai maritime corridor while also identifying opportunities for joint development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR). He added that efforts are underway to establish the required legal and regulatory framework for this cooperation. According to him, the first step was the signing of a memorandum in December 2025 to train specialists for vessels operating in polar waters, with another memorandum on cooperation in cargo shipping along the Northern Sea Route expected to follow. For the unversed, India meets about half of its natural gas demand through imports of LNG, with roughly 65 per cent of those supplies sourced from Gulf producers such as Qatar and shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. Amid the ongoing Iran war, India's LNG supplies have been affected.
US Senate Passes Russia Sanctions Bill - How Will It Affect India?
A proposed US sanctions bill aimed at Russia's energy trade cleared a major hurdle in the Senate on Tuesday, sparking concerns about its potential impact on key importers of Russian oil, including India.
The legislation, which received overwhelming bipartisan support in a 86-12 procedural vote, would give President Donald Trump new powers to impose penalties on countries that buy Russian energy or help Moscow evade sanctions.
The bill allows the US President to target the top five buyers of Russian crude oil and natural gas with tariffs, as well as the top five countries accused of assisting Russia's sanctions evasion, according to the text released on Tuesday. India and China are among the largest buyers of Russian energy, meaning they could come under economic pressure if the US administration chooses to exercise the powers granted under the proposed legislation.
