2 min readUpdated: May 18, 2026 07:39 PM IST
India will continue purchasing Russian crude oil regardless of whether the United States extends sanctions waivers, with decisions driven by commercial viability and energy security needs, a senior Petroleum Ministry official said on Monday, according to PTI.
Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Petroleum Ministry, told reporters at a media briefing, “Regarding the American waiver on Russia, I would like to emphasise that we have been purchasing from Russia earlier… before waiver also, during waiver also, and now also,” PTI reported.
Sharma said India’s crude sourcing strategy was guided primarily by pricing and supply considerations. “It is basically the commercial sense which should be there for us to purchase,” she said, adding that India had secured adequate supplies through long-term contracts and that there was no shortage of crude availability.
The remarks came after a temporary US sanctions waiver allowing the sale and delivery of Russian seaborne crude expired on May 16. The waiver, first issued by the US Treasury Department in March and extended in April, had been introduced to stabilise global energy markets following disruptions caused by the US-Israel conflict with Iran.
“Whatever waiver or no waiver, it (availability) will not affect,” Sharma said.
Russian crude has become a major part of India’s import basket since 2022, when Western sanctions following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted traditional export flows and pushed Russia to offer discounted oil to buyers such as India.
Although the US and European countries imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia, Russian oil itself was never directly sanctioned. However, Washington has in recent months targeted entities such as Rosneft and Lukoil, along with vessels and financial channels linked to Russian exports.
Story continues below this ad
Indian refiners continued purchases by ensuring compliance through non-sanctioned sellers, vessels, insurance and payment routes, the report said.
According to Kpler data cited by PTI, Russian oil imports into India are expected to average nearly 1.9 million barrels per day in May, close to record levels. A ccording to analysts cited by PTI, India is unlikely to significantly reduce Russian crude purchases in the near future, though tighter documentation and compliance checks are expected.
Stay updated with the latest – Click here to follow us on Instagram
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
