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India has resumed purchases of Russian oil

At least three tankers carrying Russian oil list a refinery operated by Reliance Industries Ltd. on India’s west coast as their next destination.

According to a Bloomberg report, the refinery has resumed oil purchases for domestic production. Data from the analytics company Kpler shows that vessels loaded with nearly 2.2 million barrels of Urals crude are currently heading toward the Jamnagar complex and are expected to deliver their cargo in early January.

Kpler tracks vessel movements based on real-time signals transmitted by ship captains, indicating their current location and intended discharge ports. Destinations may change as vessels approach India.

A Reliance spokesperson said the company does not have guaranteed supplies of Russian oil for January.

After the United States blacklisted Rosneft and Lukoil, Reliance initially stopped using Russian crude at the export-oriented section of its refinery. Since then, it has begun purchasing oil from non-sanctioned Russian producers for domestic consumption.

Previously, Rosneft had been Reliance’s largest supplier of Russian oil under a long-term contract providing 500,000 barrels per day.

According to Kpler, Reliance — controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani — was the world’s largest buyer of Russian oil for most of 2024–2025.

Kpler data shows that the cargoes were marked as supplied by trading companies Alghaf Marine DMCC, Redwood Global Supply FZ LLC, RusExport, and Ethos Energy. Alghaf Marine and Redwood Global are under UK sanctions, and Alghaf Marine is considered the successor to the Middle Eastern arm of Litasco, Lukoil’s trading unit.

Deliveries of Russian crude to Reliance’s Jamnagar refining complex accounted for more than 40% of the plant’s total imports between January and November last year.

Reliance is not the only Indian refinery purchasing Russian oil. State-owned Indian Oil Corp. and Bharat Petroleum Corp. are also buying cargoes from suppliers not subject to sanctions. They are attracted by significant discounts, low refining margins, and uncertainty surrounding trade negotiations with Washington.

On October 22, 2025, the United States imposed new sanctions on Russia for the first time under the second Trump administration. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said the measures were introduced “due to Russia’s lack of serious commitment to the peace process to end the war in Ukraine.” The sanctions targeted Rosneft and Lukoil.

As of December 23, 2025, a backlog of 20 tankers carrying Russian oil had formed off the coasts of India and China.

It was also reported in December 2025 that Russian crude oil shipments to India were likely to fall to their lowest level in three years, although volumes could increase at the beginning of the following year after Reliance Industries resumed purchases.