Data from Kpler indicates that while Russian oil imports slipped to a daily average of 1.75 million barrels in September—down from 2.1 million in August—Russia persists as the country's primary single supplier. The shift coincides with a broader expansion of India’s total import volume, which climbed to 5.3 million barrels daily, marking a significant 600,000-barrel increase over the previous month.
India Shifts Oil Sourcing as Russian Imports Dip
India has recalibrated its crude supply chain, scaling back Russian imports while boosting daily intake from Middle Eastern producers to 3 million barrels this month. Despite these adjustments and looming threats of U.S. tariffs on Indian exports, New Delhi maintains that Russian crude remains a cornerstone of its energy strategy.
Kpler analyst Sumit Ritolia noted that the recent cooling in Russian flows does not signal a strategic pivot away from Moscow. Instead, the current figures reflect a return to pre-war import levels for Middle Eastern suppliers. This delicate balancing act occurs under the shadow of potential U.S. sanctions, where officials have floated the prospect of 100% tariffs on Indian goods. Such a move threatens to destabilize ongoing bilateral trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington, complicating India's position as the world's second-largest importer of Russian crude.
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