India Cuts Russian Fossil Fuel Imports

In December 2025, India's imports of Russian fossil fuels significantly decreased, causing India to fall to third place among buyers, behind China and Turkey. This reduction was largely driven by Reliance Industries, whose Jamnagar refinery halved its Russian crude imports, and state-owned refiners, who cut imports by 15%. The primary catalyst for these cuts was the U.S. United States — Office of Foreign Assets Control's sanctions on major Russian oil producers like Rosneft and Lukoil, aimed at limiting Russia's funding for the Ukraine war. While companies such as Reliance Industries, Hindustan Petroleum, HPCL-Mittal Energy, and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited halted or reduced their Russian oil purchases, Indian Oil Corporation continued to buy from non-sanctioned Russian entities. This shift marks a notable change from India's previous role as a major buyer of discounted Russian crude following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.