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India Moves to Replace Russian Oil as Trump–Putin Alaska Summit Looms
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
India, the world’s largest importer of seaborne Russian crude, is scrambling to secure alternative supplies ahead of Friday’s summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Bloomberd reported on August 14. The shift comes after Trump demanded New Delhi halt purchases of discounted Russian oil, accusing the trade of fueling “the war machine,” and doubled tariffs on Indian goods as punishment.
In recent days, state-run refiners such as Indian Oil Corp. and Bharat Petroleum Corp. have snapped up significant volumes of non-Russian crude for September–October delivery, drawing cargoes from the US, Brazil, the Middle East, and other markets. These spot deals add to long-term supply from key partners like Saudi Arabia, which will ship about 22.5 million barrels to India for September loading—the highest monthly volume since September 2024, according to Bloomberg, citing Kpler data.
The industry is watching the Trump–Putin meeting closely for signals on whether Washington will maintain or escalate pressure on Russian oil sales. Importers still seeking Russian barrels are encountering reluctance from banks and shipping companies wary of potential US secondary sanctions.
Traders say some private buyers may turn to smaller banks, Chinese yuan payments, and “dark fleet” tankers to keep the trade flowing despite mounting risks.
Earlier, it was reported that Nayara Energy, an Indian refiner partially owned by Russian oil giant Rosneft PJSC, is on track to receive the lowest crude oil volumes in its history this month, driven by the effects of European Union sanctions.
Ship-tracking data from Vortexa and Kpler shows that Nayara is expected to import just under 94,000 barrels of crude per day in August—a sharp drop from almost 366,000 barrels per day during the same month last year.
