Russia remains India’s top crude supplier, but imports fall month-on-month as refiners raise purchases from Iraq, Saudi Arabia and African producers amid diversification push
India reduced its crude oil imports from Russia in January 2026, even as it stepped up purchases from the Middle East and Africa, according to tanker-tracking data from Kpler.
Russian crude shipments to India fell to about 1.215 million barrels per day (bpd) in January 2026, down from 1.25 million bpd in December 2025 and sharply lower than 1.674 million bpd in January 2025. Despite the decline, Russia continued to be India’s single largest crude supplier.
At the same time, India increased imports from Iraq, which rose to 1.035 million bpd in January 2026 from 904,000 bpd in December. Shipments from Saudi Arabia also climbed to 794,000 bpd, up from 706,000 bpd in the previous month.
The data points to a growing diversification of India’s crude basket. Imports from African producers saw a notable rise, with shipments from Angola jumping to 254,000 bpd in January from 72,000 bpd in December. Supplies from Nigeria stood at 142,000 bpd, while Colombia emerged as a supplier with 129,000 bpd after no shipments in December.
Imports from Brazil eased slightly to 221,000 bpd from 246,000 bpd in December, while crude purchases from the United States moderated to 297,000 bpd from 329,000 bpd a month earlier.
Analysts say the latest numbers reflect Indian refiners’ continued effort to balance discounted Russian barrels with greater sourcing from traditional Middle Eastern suppliers and alternative producers in Africa and the Americas.
The shift also comes amid evolving geopolitical dynamics, shipping constraints, and refiners’ need to optimise crude quality and logistics.
The Kpler data highlights that while Russia remains central to India’s energy security, the pace of imports is becoming more calibrated, with refiners increasingly keeping options open across regions to manage price volatility and supply risks.
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