New Delhi (India), June 8: Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Monday said that India is currently importing significantly more crude oil from Russia than it was in November 2025.
Speaking to NDTV, the Petroleum Minister stated that the country's Russian crude oil imports have increased. He maintained that New Delhi was never asked to completely stop purchasing oil from Russia.
The statement comes in response to the allegations levelled by the opposition that India has bowed down to the Donald Trump administration. Several media reports claimed that India has substantially stopped importing Russian oil under US pressure.
However, the US issued a 30-day sanctions waiver in March, which it extended, to permit Indian refiners to process Russian crude oil that was already stranded at sea.
In a separate interview with CNN-News18, the minister clarified that the restrictions were only related to buying oil from entities that had been placed under sanctions.
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Puri said India has continued to diversify its energy sources and is now importing crude oil from 41 countries.
According to him, this approach has helped India manage energy costs and keep prices under control despite disruptions to shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
The minister’s remarks come amid ongoing discussions around global energy supplies and India’s crude oil procurement strategy. India, one of the world’s largest energy consumers, has continued to focus on securing stable and affordable energy supplies.
According to the Petroleum Ministry, about 40% of crude, 90% of LPG, and nearly 65% of India's natural gas imports have been affected amid the ongoing West Asia crisis.
Related: India's 40% crude, 90% LPG, 65% gas imports hit by West Asia crisis: Govt
Despite the supply-side external disruption, the government has maintained that all refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories, while sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel are being maintained.
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