No US Pressure On India To Cut Russian Oil Imports: Hardeep Puri

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said India had faced no pressure from the US to reduce Russian crude oil imports, emphasising that purchasing decisions depend on commercial considerations.

Speaking at an industry event in Goa, Puri said he had not experienced any such pressure, according to news agency PTI.

He explained that Indian refiners were increasingly sourcing crude from West Asian producers as supplies became more competitive.

Russian Oil Imports Depend On Discounts, Says Puri

Puri said Russian crude accounted for just 0.2% of India's oil imports before the Ukraine conflict, but purchases increased substantially after February 2022.

Western sanctions prompted several traditional buyers to reduce Russian oil purchases, leading Moscow to offer discounted supplies to Asian markets.

India subsequently emerged as a major buyer, with Russia becoming its largest crude supplier.

However, Puri stressed that refiners evaluate Russian oil against competing grades before making procurement decisions.

He said lower discounts had encouraged Indian companies to purchase more competitively priced crude from Gulf producers.

The minister also highlighted India's efforts to expand refining capacity to meet domestic consumption and export requirements.

Middle East Oil Imports Rise As Russian Supplies Decline

Ship-tracking data showed that India's crude imports from West Asia increased significantly in September 2026, returning to pre-war levels.

Purchases from the region reached approximately 2.8 million barrels per day, representing 54% of total imports, compared with a 32% share in August.

Meanwhile, Russian crude imports declined around 14% month-on-month to approximately 1.8 million barrels daily.

Russia's share of India's total crude purchases consequently fell to 33.5%.

Competition from Chinese buyers also contributed to changing procurement patterns.

According to a Reuters report citing an Indian refining source, Russian oil purchases could remain subdued over the coming months.

The report indicated that the landed cost of Russian crude had become comparable with certain West Asian grades, particularly Iraqi oil.

These pricing developments suggest that Indian refiners will continue adjusting their sourcing strategies according to commercial viability and available supplies.