India saw more than a 65.6% annualised jump in petroleum crude imports, valued at $8.2 billion, from the United States, in April-December 2025, while imports of Russian crude fell by more than 17%, from around $40 billion in April-December 2024 to $33.1 billion in April-December 2025, according to government data.
Out of India’s five major petroleum crude suppliers — Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and the US — annualised contraction in imports has been witnessed only in the case of Russia in December 2025. Imports from Russia dipped by 15.15% to 2.71 billion in December 2025 as compared to $3.2 billion in December 2024, the data showed.
In contrast, crude imports from Saudi Arabia in December 2025 saw about 61% year-on-year surge to $1.75 billion, imports from the US witnessed 31% jump to $569.30 million in the same month, imports from Iraq recorded a 4.56% increase to $2.37 billion, and those from UAE saw a 6% increase to $1.65 billion, according to the data.
According to experts, who wished not to be named, the fall in the Russian crude import was steep in December 2025, mainly because Indian refiners reduced lifting oil from Russia after the US imposed an additional 25% punitive tariff on Indian goods in its market from August 27, 2025, to deter New Delhi from purchasing sanctioned Russian petroleum.
Before the 25% punitive tariff on Indian goods on August 27, 2025, India imported Russian crude worth $3.62 billion in July 2025. In August 2025, the Russian crude supply was worth over $3.59 billion. Subsequently, monthly imports were $3.32 billion in September 2025, $3.56 billion in October 2025, and $3.72 in November 2025. Thereafter, it fell sharply to $2.71 billion in December 2025 — more than a 35% drop from the previous month. To be sure, crude purchases are often based on long-term commitments; hence, supplies cannot be suddenly raised or curtailed.
Experts said mostly private refiners purchased Russian crude because of heavy discounts and the ability of their advanced refineries to process such crude. The government had not, however, issued any official statement asking refiners to stop buying Russian crude.
When a reporter asked specific questions on this matter at the weekly media briefing by the official spokesperson of MEA on February 5, he said: “In so far as India’s energy security or energy sourcing is concerned, the government has stated publicly on several occasions, including me here, that ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indians is the supreme priority of the government. Diversifying our energy sourcing in keeping with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics is at the core of our strategy to ensure this. All of India’s decisions are taken and will be taken with this in mind.”
India’s total crude imports from about 39 countries in December 2025 were worth $11.29 billion as compared to $10.34 billion in December 2024, registering a 9.1% growth. Cumulative imports in the first three quarters (April-December 2025) of the current financial year (FY26) from all 39 sources were valued at $105.10 billion as compared to $109.33 billion in the same period (April-December 2024) of FY25, data showed.