New Delhi, August 2026 : India has emerged as an important supplier of petrol to Russia, with nearly 1 million barrels of gasoline shipped to the country over the past two months, as repeated Ukrainian drone attacks have disrupted Russian refinery operations and created a growing domestic fuel shortage, according to ship-tracking data and analysis by energy intelligence firm Vortexa.
Russia has increasingly turned to overseas markets to compensate for the decline in domestic fuel production after a series of Ukrainian drone strikes targeted refineries deep inside Russian territory. Vortexa data showed that Russia’s seaborne gasoline imports climbed to a record 470,000 tonnes in August, as disruptions at refineries left motorists facing long queues at filling stations in several parts of the country.
The scale of the disruption has been significant. According to the report, Russian domestic fuel production fell by as much as 70 per cent amid refinery shutdowns and damage caused by drone attacks. Moscow has responded by restricting exports of petrol and diesel in an effort to preserve supplies for the domestic market and contain the shortage.
Vortexa reported that Russian refineries came under attack 32 times during July and August, translating into roughly one strike every two days. The repeated attacks have placed considerable pressure on Russia’s refining system, forcing the country to increase imports even as it remains one of the world’s major oil producers.
India has been among the key countries stepping in to supply the Russian market, alongside Turkey and Morocco. Trade sources indicated that a substantial portion of India’s petrol shipments to Russia originated from Nayara Energy’s refinery at Vadinar in Gujarat, in which Russian oil giant Rosneft holds a stake.
The development highlights the increasingly interconnected nature of global energy trade, where countries are adjusting their supply chains in response to geopolitical disruptions, sanctions, conflicts and attacks on critical infrastructure.
For India, the situation also underscores the country’s expanding refining capabilities. India is already the world’s third-largest refining hub, and its refining capacity is expected to increase from around 272 million tonnes per annum (MMTPA) to nearly 300 MMTPA. Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had earlier highlighted the expansion as part of India’s efforts to strengthen its position in the global energy market.
At the same time, India has significantly diversified the countries from which it sources crude oil. Its crude import basket has expanded to 41 countries from 27 earlier, as geopolitical tensions in West Asia and disruptions around key shipping routes have increased the importance of supply diversification.
The conflict in the Middle East and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz have further complicated global oil flows. Under normal circumstances, around one-fifth of global oil and gas exports transit through the strategically important waterway. Any disruption along the route can therefore have a direct impact on global prices, freight costs and refinery economics.
The changing global energy landscape has also strengthened the importance of Russian crude for Indian refiners. India’s imports of Russian oil increased sharply in recent months amid disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. In July, Russia accounted for more than half of India’s total crude oil imports, overtaking traditional suppliers such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
However, shipping intelligence and research firm Kpler estimates that Indian imports of Russian crude are likely to fall to around 2.1 million barrels per day in August, compared with record levels of approximately 2.6 million barrels per day in both June and July.
Despite the decline, Russia remains India’s largest crude supplier, accounting for more than 40 per cent of the country’s imports. The UAE is the second-largest supplier at around 611,000 barrels per day, followed by Saudi Arabia at 385,000 barrels per day, Venezuela at 383,000 barrels per day, Nigeria at 129,000 barrels per day and Brazil at 120,000 barrels per day.
India’s reliance on overseas crude makes such diversification particularly important. The country imports more than 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements, leaving its economy exposed to disruptions in international supply chains and sudden shifts in global energy prices.
By sourcing crude from a wider range of countries while simultaneously expanding its refining capacity, India is seeking to build greater resilience against geopolitical shocks. The strategy reduces dependence on any single supplier, region or transit route and gives Indian refiners greater flexibility to respond to changing global market conditions.
The latest petrol shipments to Russia demonstrate how quickly global energy flows can change when geopolitical conflicts disrupt production. For India, its growing refining capacity and diversified crude sourcing are increasingly positioning the country as both a major consumer and an influential participant in the international energy market.
