Russia Turns to India Amid Fuel Shortage
Russia Begins Importing Petrol from India by Sea — AI
Russia has begun importing petrol from India by sea to ease a fuel shortage caused by Ukrainian attacks on its energy infrastructure, two industry sources said on Wednesday.
The attacks have disrupted fuel supplies across multiple regions spanning Russia’s 11 time zones, leading to fuel rationing, long lines at gas stations, and record-high gasoline prices.
The Kremlin said Tuesday that Russia is in talks with several countries to secure fuel imports at acceptable prices.
One source told Reuters that at least 60,000 metric tons of petrol have already been shipped from India to Russia. Another source said two tankers, each carrying between 30,000 and 40,000 metric tons, are already enroute.
A third source said Russia plans to import a total of 400,000 metric tons of petrol per month from several countries, including Belarus, which has already begun supplying fuel to its neighbor.
Russia’s summer gasoline demand is estimated at about 110,000 metric tons per day.
The identity of the Indian refinery supplying the fuel has not yet been disclosed.
During a meeting with government officials on Sunday, President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries had caused fuel shortages in parts of the country. He said the government is taking steps to manage the situation.
According to Reuters calculations and industry sources, petrol shipments from Belarus to Russia by rail exceeded 70,000 metric tons during the first half of June—nearly triple the volume recorded during the first half of May.
Last week, Russia’s parliament approved amendments to tax legislation aimed at addressing the fuel shortage caused by Ukrainian drone attacks. The changes include subsidies for imported fuel based on transportation costs and pricing, including supplies from India.
Meanwhile, shipping data from LSEG and Kpler showed that India’s imports of Russian crude oil reached a record high in June. Disruptions to alternative supply routes caused by instability around the Strait of Hormuz prompted Indian refiners to increase purchases of Russian crude.
According to Kpler, more than half of India's crude oil imports in June came from Russia, up from 36.5% in May.
Preliminary data from Kpler and LSEG showed that India, the world's third-largest oil importer, imported an average of nearly 2.7 million barrels of Russian crude oil per day in June.
