Russia may be offering India a 5% discount on crude oil purchases, even as US President Donald Trump’s administration slaps punitive tariffs on Indian exports for continuing energy trade with Moscow.
Evgeniy Griva, the Deputy Trade Representative of Russia to India, told reporters on Wednesday that crude discounts were typically kept confidential but hovered around 5%. “As for discount [on crude purchase], it’s a commercial secret. I think, because it’s usually just dialogue between businessmen and approximately usually 5% [is the discount]. It’s fluctuating, but usually its plus-minus 5%,” he said at a briefing alongside Ambassador Roman Babushkin.
The disclosure comes amid Trump’s decision to impose 50% tariffs and penalties on Indian exporters, which the White House said was aimed at indirectly pressuring Moscow to end its war in Ukraine. On Tuesday (US time), Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the tariffs were part of Trump’s broader strategy to force Russia and Ukraine into a peace deal.
India, however, has defended its crude imports from Russia as a matter of energy security and sovereign trade choice. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) recently accused the West of “double standards,” pointing out that Washington had initially “actively encouraged” India to buy Russian crude after Europe diverted supplies in the wake of the Ukraine conflict.
Russian officials insisted American tariffs would not derail the oil partnership. “Russia has a special mechanism to continue crude oil supplies to India. We are committed to sit with India to address these problems and remove them,” Babushkin said, adding that Moscow had systems to navigate shipping and insurance-related challenges.
Griva said Russia currently supplies about 40% of India’s oil needs - nearly half of its 250 million tonnes of annual imports. “If I’m not mistaken, Indian refineries (imports) 250 million tonnes (of oil) annually, and Russia provides 40% of this amount - practically half,” he noted.
Moscow has praised New Delhi for resisting US pressure. “India is asserting its freedom of choice against American bullying,” said Babushkin.
While NATO leaders and Trump himself have urged India to reduce Russian crude purchases, New Delhi has signaled it will continue prioritising affordable energy supplies.
