India's crude oil imports achieved unprecedented levels in June, reaching approximately 5 million barrels per day—the highest volume recorded for that month in the nation's history. According to OilPrice, Russian supplies made up a significant portion of that total, with 2.6 million barrels per day sourced from Russia, representing 54 percent of India's total crude intake and marking a historic high for bilateral energy trade.
The surge in Russian crude underscores the durability of India's energy partnerships despite Western sanctions pressure. Russian shipments had contracted sharply to around 1.1 million barrels per day in February as Washington increased diplomatic pressure, yet supplies rebounded more than twofold within a four-month window. The rapid recovery demonstrates that sanctions intended to isolate Russian energy exports have redirected trade flows rather than significantly curtailed them, with India positioned as a key alternative market.
India's reliance on Russian oil has become a cornerstone of the nation's energy-security strategy, particularly as geopolitical tensions threaten stability in traditional oil-producing regions. The scale of current Russian supplies—more than doubling since early 2022—illustrates how swiftly Indian refiners adapted to sanctions-induced supply disruptions and capitalized on discounted Russian crude, reducing exposure to price volatility in other markets.