Moscow (Rajeev Sharma): The Kremlin on Wednesday said there is nothing unusual about India diversifying its crude oil suppliers and stressed that New Delhi remains free to purchase oil from any country, dismissing suggestions that India has agreed to stop importing Russian crude.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia has received no official communication from India regarding any decision to halt Russian oil purchases. He noted that India has historically sourced oil from multiple countries and that diversification has always been part of its energy strategy.
Peskov was responding to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to reduce or stop imports of Russian oil in favour of supplies from the United States and possibly Venezuela. Russian officials, however, pointed out that no such commitment has been publicly stated by the Indian government.
Russian business radio Kommersant FM also observed that Prime Minister Modi did not mention any agreement on ending Russian oil imports, unlike claims made by the U.S. president.
Energy experts say a complete shift away from Russian crude would be difficult for Indian refiners. Igor Yushkov, an analyst with the National Energy Security Fund, explained that U.S. shale oil is lighter in nature, while Russian Urals crude is heavier and contains more sulphur, making direct substitution costly and technically challenging.
Yushkov added that Russia typically exports between 1.5 million and 2 million barrels of oil per day to India, a volume that the United States may not be able to fully replace. He suggested that Trump’s statements may be aimed at projecting success in trade negotiations rather than reflecting on-the-ground realities.
India imports nearly 88 per cent of its crude oil needs from overseas. Russian oil accounted for a negligible share of India’s imports before 2022, but purchases surged after Western nations imposed sanctions on Moscow following the Ukraine conflict. India later emerged as one of the largest buyers of discounted Russian crude.
According to data from analytics firm Kpler, India’s Russian oil imports dipped to about 1.1 million barrels per day in the first three weeks of January, compared to higher levels seen in mid-2025. Despite fluctuations, analysts say Russia remains a key supplier in India’s energy mix.
