India received over 5 million barrels of Russian crude oil, over the weekend ending August 4, 2025, reinforcing its energy security strategy amid rising
geopolitical pressure. The shipments, comprising Urals and Varandey grade crude, were delivered by multiple Aframax tankers including Achilles, Elyte, Horae, Mikati, Minion and Destan. The crude was offloaded at key ports such as Sikka, Mundra, Kochi, and Mangalore, with the oil destined for both private players, Reliance Industries Ltd and Nayara Energy, as well as state-owned companies like Indian Oil Corp, HPCL-Mittal Energy, Bharat Petroleum, and ONGC. Despite sustained diplomatic pressure from the US and EU, India continues to secure discounted Russian oil, highlighting its prioritisation of independent foreign policy and affordable energy sourcing. According to Bloomberg, Aframax-class tankers Achilles, Elyte, and Horae discharged 2.2 million barrels of Urals crude to Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy. Additional vessels like Minion, Destan, and Aldebaran were positioned to deliver a similar volume, with Mundra Port expected to service Indian Oil Corporation and HPCL-Mittal Energy. Another vessel, Mikati, offloaded over 720,000 barrels of Russian Varandey crude at refineries operated by Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd in Kochi and ONGC in Mangalore. Despite growing diplomatic unease, New Delhi has not issued any direction to curtail Russian oil purchases. "Our relationships with countries are based on independent merit," said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India's Ministry of External Affairs, reaffirming India’s stance on strategic autonomy. He described Indo-Russian relations as a "steady and time-tested partnership." This comes amid fresh tensions following Donald Trump’s return to the White House, who warned of punitive measures against nations continuing trade ties with Moscow. His administration has imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian exports to the US, causing strategic headaches for Indian refineries. A senior US official even accused India of "effectively supporting Putin’s Ukraine campaign." However, industry insiders say “no official instructions have come from New Delhi to suspend crude imports from Russia”, Bloomberg reported. The European Union’s July 18 sanctions on Nayara Energy, citing links with Russian entities, forced the company to reduce operations, pushing Indian refiners to explore alternative procurement strategies. Yet, Reliance Industries continues to uphold its long-term agreement with Rosneft PJSC, indicating India's appetite for discounted Russian crude remains intact.
