India intends to buy crude oil from other major oil-producing countries due to the US decision to end waivers that allowed it to buy Iranian oil without facing US sanctions, AP reported.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said the government of India will continue to work with partner countries, including the United States, to find ways to protect India’s energy and economic security interests.

India purchased 23.6 million tons of Iranian oil in the fiscal year ending in March 2019, said Y.K Baweja, India’s Petroleum Ministry spokesman. Iran was the third largest oil supplier for India after Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Imports account for more than 80% of India’s oil needs.

As it was reported earlier, the US administration has officially announced that it will not extend the exemption from the sanctions on the import of Iranian oil.

The current set of waivers -- issued to China, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey -- expire May 2.