India’s appetite for discounted Russian crude oil shows no sign of waning despite intensified Western sanctions and tariff pressure from the United States. According to a new Reuters report citing preliminary data from oil-tracking firms Kpler and OilX, India’s imports of Russian oil rose in October, underlining New Delhi’s continued pragmatism in balancing economic interests with complex geopolitical dynamics.

The Reuters analysis indicates that India imported roughly 1.48 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian crude in October, a modest but notable increase from 1.44 million bpd in September, according to Kpler. OilX’s estimates closely match this figure, reporting 1.48 million bpd for October and 1.43 million bpd for September. The data exclude oil of Kazakh origin transported through Russian ports, meaning the numbers reflect only direct Russian exports.

The sustained level of Russian oil imports underscores how deeply Moscow has embedded itself in India’s energy supply chain since 2022, when Western nations began imposing sweeping sanctions over the war in Ukraine. While Europe and the United States drastically curtailed their imports from Russia, India and China seized the opportunity to purchase discounted barrels-often at prices below the G7-imposed cap of $60 per barrel.

As of September, Russia accounted for roughly 34% of India’s total crude imports, making it the country’s single largest supplier. Before the Ukraine conflict, Russian oil represented less than 2% of India’s total crude intake.

The increase in Indian imports comes just as the United States and the European Union announced fresh rounds of restrictions targeting Russian energy exports. In late October, Washington imposed sanctions on Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil, as well as several of their subsidiaries. Shortly thereafter, Brussels implemented its 19th package of sanctions, blacklisting over 117 vessels allegedly linked to Moscow’s so-called “shadow........

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