Amid sanctions pressure and talks with Washington, India is tightening oversight of Russian oil imports, introducing an unprecedented reporting requirement for refiners. Reuters, citing sources, reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has mandated weekly disclosures of crude buys from Russia and the U.S.
One government official said the new reporting system is needed so India can respond quickly to potential requests from Washington.
Previously, information on the origin of crude bought by Indian refiners was published monthly in customs statistics and private-sector analytical reports. The move to weekly data marks the first such instance.
Sources also told the agency that Indian companies plan to reduce imports of Russian crude, with supplies potentially falling below 1 million barrels per day in the coming months. The step is seen as part of New Delhi’s strategy to secure a trade agreement with the United States.
Last summer, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on India over its purchases of Russian oil, bringing the combined tariff on Indian goods to 50%.
The White House chief argued that New Delhi was effectively financing the war in Ukraine, since a significant share of Russia’s energy export revenues goes to its military and war effort.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, India became one of the largest buyers of Russian crude, taking advantage of steep discounts.
Under U.S. pressure, the country gradually pared back purchases but did not halt them entirely. In December, imports of Russian oil fell to 1.1 million barrels per day - a three-year low.
