India's Russian oil imports surge 90% amid Hormuz disruption
India’s crude oil imports from Russia jumped 90% in March compared with February, even as the country’s overall oil imports fell nearly 15% due to supply disruptions in West Asia, according to a report by Atul Mathur in The Times of India, citing data and industry inputs.
The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy shipments, also triggered a sharp 40% decline in India’s LPG imports and reduced LNG supplies during the month, prompting New Delhi to seek alternative sources.
After muted purchases in December 2025 and January–February 2026, India’s imports of Russian crude rebounded strongly following a 30-day waiver announced by the United States, allowing buyers to receive sanctioned oil cargoes already in transit.
Also Read: Donald Trump shrugs off Hormuz amid shifting oil order, but US can’t 'strait' up ignore it
Imports from African nations such as Angola, Gabon, Ghana and Congo also increased, although their share in India’s overall oil basket remained relatively small.
“Middle Eastern producers are partially rerouting supplies via pipelines that bypass Hormuz, notably Saudi Arabia’s East-West (Yanbu) pipeline and the UAE’s Habshan-Fujairah pipeline. These flows have provided incremental relief,” Sumit Ritoia, lead analyst at Kpler, told TOI. He added that Russian supplies are expected to remain strong in April, with potential inflows from Iran and Venezuela likely to further ease supply concerns.
Also Read: India’s defence exports hit all-time high: Here’s what Indian arms companies are shipping to US, France and more
India’s LNG imports from Qatar plunged 92% month-on-month after QatarEnergy declared force majeure on supplies under long-term contracts, compounded by the Hormuz disruption. The shortfall was partly offset by higher imports from the United States, Oman, Angola and Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the steep drop in LPG imports was partially cushioned by increased domestic production and supply curbs for commercial and industrial users to prioritise cooking gas availability for over 33.2 crore consumers, the report said.
The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy shipments, also triggered a sharp 40% decline in India’s LPG imports and reduced LNG supplies during the month, prompting New Delhi to seek alternative sources.
After muted purchases in December 2025 and January–February 2026, India’s imports of Russian crude rebounded strongly following a 30-day waiver announced by the United States, allowing buyers to receive sanctioned oil cargoes already in transit.
Also Read: Donald Trump shrugs off Hormuz amid shifting oil order, but US can’t 'strait' up ignore it
Imports from African nations such as Angola, Gabon, Ghana and Congo also increased, although their share in India’s overall oil basket remained relatively small.
“Middle Eastern producers are partially rerouting supplies via pipelines that bypass Hormuz, notably Saudi Arabia’s East-West (Yanbu) pipeline and the UAE’s Habshan-Fujairah pipeline. These flows have provided incremental relief,” Sumit Ritoia, lead analyst at Kpler, told TOI. He added that Russian supplies are expected to remain strong in April, with potential inflows from Iran and Venezuela likely to further ease supply concerns.
Also Read: India’s defence exports hit all-time high: Here’s what Indian arms companies are shipping to US, France and more
India’s LNG imports from Qatar plunged 92% month-on-month after QatarEnergy declared force majeure on supplies under long-term contracts, compounded by the Hormuz disruption. The shortfall was partly offset by higher imports from the United States, Oman, Angola and Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the steep drop in LPG imports was partially cushioned by increased domestic production and supply curbs for commercial and industrial users to prioritise cooking gas availability for over 33.2 crore consumers, the report said.
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