India’s largest buyer of Russian oil, Reliance Industries, has shifted to purchasing crude from the Middle East and the U.S. following the introduction of American sanctions against Lukoil, Rosneft, and their subsidiaries, Bloomberg reports. This includes several types of crude, such as Saudi Khafji, Iraqi Basrah Medium, Qatari Al-Shaheen, and some U.S. West Texas Intermediate, according to traders familiar with the situation. These shipments are expected in December or January.

In total, the Indian company purchased at least 10 million barrels of crude on the spot market in October, with most volumes coming from Middle Eastern grades. Most of Reliance Industries’ crude purchases were made after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Russian companies. Other Indian refiners are also reportedly interested in spot purchases, particularly from the Middle East, the U.S., and Brazil. This year, Reliance Industries became India’s largest importer of Russian crude by volume under a long-term contract with Rosneft.

On October 23, President Donald Trump publicly announced U.S. sanctions against Russia’s two largest oil companies—Rosneft and Lukoil—due to the Kremlin’s refusal to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine. The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) specified that subsidiaries of both companies located in Russia are also included, totaling 34 legal entities. The sanctions block assets in the U.S.

Following this, major Indian refineries decided to cut Russian crude purchases almost entirely. This primarily affects Reliance Industries, as well as Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp, Hindustan Petroleum Corp, and Mangalore Refinery.

In September, India purchased 1.6 million barrels per day from Russia, accounting for 36% of its crude import needs. At its peak between April and June 2025, shipments reached around 2 million barrels per day. For Russian oil companies, India became the largest market for seaborne exports and the second-largest buyer overall after China, including pipeline deliveries.