NEW DELHI: India sourced an estimated 2.1 million barrels per day (mbd) of crude oil from Russia in August, accounting for roughly 45% of the country's total oil imports that month, maritime intelligence firm Kpler said on data for August. US suppliers led shipments of both liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India during the same period, according to the firm.
What the August flows looked like
Kpler's analysis shows a moderation in Russian crude volumes from July, when imports peaked at about 2.8 mbd — the highest monthly level recorded. Overall crude arrivals in August were estimated at about 4.6 mbd, down nearly 8% from July's intake of over 5 mbd, after refiners scaled back purchases following several months of heavy buying.
Other notable crude suppliers in August included the United Arab Emirates (0.5 mbd), Saudi Arabia (0.5 mbd) and Venezuela (0.3 mbd), Kpler reported. Analysts cited scheduled refinery maintenance in India and somewhat reduced availability of Russian grades as reasons for the decline in overall imports.
Gas shipments: US leads LPG and LNG supplies
On the gas side, the United States supplied about 0.6 million tonnes (MT) of the 1.1 MT of LPG India imported in August — roughly 51% of the total LPG shipments. This represented a fall from July's US LPG volume of about 0.9 MT. Other LPG sources included the UAE and Algeria, each supplying around 0.1 MT.
For LNG, the US was again the largest single supplier, delivering approximately 0.8 MT of the 2.2 MT of LNG India received in August. Oman (0.5 MT) and Nigeria (0.4 MT) were the next-largest suppliers, according to Kpler.
Why this matters for consumers and businesses
- Supplier concentration: Heavy reliance on one supplier for crude raises exposure to geopolitical and logistical disruption; Russia provided nearly half of August crude imports.
- Cost implications: Diversification of sources — for both crude and gas — has pushed up freight bills and insurance costs, adding to landed fuel prices, analysts noted.
- Refinery economics: Lower crude inflows due to maintenance or availability can compress refinery throughput and affect product availability and margins.
Energy analytics firm Vortexa also reported that India became an important supplier of refined products, with seaborne gasoline shipments to Russia rising to about 125,000 barrels per day in August — equivalent to a projected 470,000 tonnes for the month — as some Russian refinery operations were disrupted by attacks. Vortexa said the gasoline supplies to Russia came from countries including India, Türkiye and Morocco.
| Category | India August imports | Top supplier(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Crude oil | 4.6 mbd (estimated) | Russia — 2.1 mbd (45%) |
| LPG | 1.1 MT | US — 0.6 MT (≈51%) |
| LNG | 2.2 MT | US — 0.8 MT |
Context and consequences
The August pattern reflects two simultaneous trends: one, continued commercial recalibration of oil sourcing after earlier months of aggressive purchases aimed at securing supply amid worries over a wider regional conflict; and two, a deliberate diversification of gas supplies as India seeks energy security. While sourcing from non-traditional partners reduces geopolitical concentration risk, it also lengthens voyage distances and raises freight and insurance premiums — factors that can raise the landed cost of crude, LPG and LNG.
For businesses and consumers, the short-term effect can be higher fuel and feedstock costs for sectors dependent on refined products and gas. For refiners and importers, volatile availability of specific crude grades complicates refinery planning and can affect product yields. Policymakers must balance securing diverse supplies with managing logistical costs that ultimately feed into domestic prices.
Energy market watchers will watch September shipments for signs of whether the decline from July represents a temporary moderation linked to maintenance and limited Russian availability, or a more structural shift in India’s import mix.
Data and estimates cited in this report are from maritime intelligence firm Kpler and energy analytics firm Vortexa, as reported.
