Russia has begun importing gasoline from India by sea as it grapples with fuel shortages caused by repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on its oil refineries, according to industry sources cited by Reuters. The development comes at a time when India’s purchases of Russian crude oil have climbed to a record high, highlighting the growing energy ties between the two countries.
India sends first gasoline shipments
Industry sources said Russia has already received its first gasoline cargoes from India. One source estimated that around 60,000 metric tonnes of fuel had been dispatched, while another said two tankers carrying between 30,000 and 40,000 tonnes each were involved.
The identity of the Indian refiner supplying the shipments has not been disclosed and neither the Indian nor Russian government has officially confirmed the companies involved.
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According to another source, Russia plans to import nearly 400,000 tonnes of gasoline every month from several countries to address domestic shortages. Belarus is already supplying fuel by rail and is expected to remain an important source.
Fuel supply under pressure
Russia’s demand for gasoline rises sharply during the summer, with daily consumption exceeding 110,000 tonnes. The recent refinery disruptions have made it difficult to meet that demand, leading to fuel rationing in some areas and long queues at petrol stations.
Motorists across the country have also faced a sharp increase in gasoline prices.
President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the issue during a government meeting on Sunday, saying Ukrainian drone strikes had affected refinery operations and caused fuel shortages in several regions. He added that authorities were taking steps to stabilise supplies.
Belarus steps up support
Belarus has significantly increased its fuel exports to Russia in recent weeks. Reuters calculations based on available data indicate that rail shipments of gasoline from Belarus during the first half of June were almost three times higher than those recorded during the same period in May.
To help ease the crisis, Russia’s parliament recently approved amendments to the country’s tax code. The changes include financial support for imported fuel, with subsidies linked to the cost of deliveries from India.
The Kremlin has also confirmed that Moscow is holding discussions with several countries regarding additional fuel imports, although it has not identified the nations involved.
India’s Russian crude imports reach new high
While Russia is importing gasoline from India, Indian refiners are purchasing more Russian crude than ever before.
Ship-tracking data from LSEG and Kpler showed that India imported approximately 2.70 million barrels of Russian crude oil per day in June, the highest monthly level recorded so far.
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The figure marks a significant increase from May, when imports stood at around 2.13 million barrels per day according to Kpler and 1.95 million barrels per day according to LSEG. The variation reflects differences in the tracking methods used by the two agencies.
Russian crude accounted for more than half of India’s total oil imports during June, while the country’s overall crude purchases remained close to 4.9 million barrels per day.
Strait of Hormuz disruptions boost Russian oil demand
The increase in Russian oil imports has also been driven by concerns over supplies from the Middle East following disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.
With Gulf shipments becoming less certain, Indian refiners have increasingly relied on discounted Russian crude, which continues to offer a cost advantage over alternative supplies.
Russia has remained India’s largest crude supplier since many European countries reduced or stopped purchasing Russian oil following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The shift created an opportunity for Indian refiners to buy Russian barrels at lower prices.
The latest trade pattern reflects an unusual energy relationship: India continues to rely on discounted Russian crude to meet its own energy needs, while Russia is now turning to India for gasoline as it works to offset refinery losses caused by the ongoing conflict.
As of Wednesday evening, neither Russia’s Energy Ministry nor India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had issued an official response regarding the reported fuel trade.
First published on: Jul 02, 2026 10:33 AM IST
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