Key facts
- Moscow says India is free to decide on Russian oil purchases
- Reports suggest US may seek curbs on India-Russia oil trade as part of deal
- India has been a major buyer of Russian crude since Western sanctions began
- Decision has implications for Indian fuel prices and refinery economics
Moscow has said that Delhi is "free" to make its own choices on the question of Russian oil trade, responding to reports that India could reduce or halt purchases of Russian crude as part of terms being negotiated under a prospective US-India trade deal. The Russian statement, reported by NDTV, is notably measured — a sign that Moscow is wary of being seen to pressure India publicly, even as the energy relationship between the two countries remains economically significant for Russia.
Since Western nations imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, India has dramatically increased its imports of discounted Russian crude, making it one of Russia's top oil customers. Indian refiners, particularly state-owned companies, have benefited from below-market prices, which have helped moderate fuel costs domestically. Any decision to curtail these purchases would be commercially consequential.
The US has long pushed India to reduce its dependence on Russian energy, and the prospect of a bilateral trade deal creates leverage for Washington to make this a condition or a diplomatic ask. India, for its part, has consistently maintained a position of strategic autonomy — refusing to be drawn into either camp while extracting economic benefit from both relationships.
How New Delhi ultimately navigates this triangular pressure — from Washington seeking to limit Russia's oil revenues, from Moscow seeking to preserve a key export market, and from domestic refiners seeking cheap crude — will be one of the defining economic-diplomatic tests of the coming months.