India Continues Russian Oil Imports amid US Waiver, Global Energy Turmoil

India confirmed it will continue importing oil from Russia, emphasizing that its energy policy is guided by national interests regardless of temporary geopolitical arrangements with the United States.

The announcement comes after Washington granted a temporary waiver allowing Indian refiners to purchase Russian crude oil stranded offshore due to disruptions linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict.

However, New Delhi stressed that it does not rely on U.S. authorization to conduct energy trade.

According to a statement from the Indian Press Information Bureau, India has never depended on permission from any foreign state to purchase Russian oil.

Officials said the country’s oil import strategy is driven primarily by national energy security considerations, rather than short-term diplomatic arrangements.

The statement also confirmed that India continued importing Russian crude through February 2026, with Russia remaining the country’s largest single supplier of oil.

In February, Washington reduced a 25% tariff on Indian exports as part of a provisional trade agreement, which was reportedly linked to expectations that New Delhi would limit purchases of Russian oil.

However, the alleged commitment was neither included in the joint statement nor officially confirmed by Indian authorities.

Indian officials declined to either confirm or deny such conditions, reiterating that the country’s energy procurement policy is based on strategic economic priorities.

The Indian government also emphasized that it maintains a robust crude oil and petroleum product inventory exceeding 250 million barrels, providing a buffer against short-term supply disruptions.

This stockpile is intended to help stabilize domestic markets during periods of global energy volatility, particularly amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

As part of broader energy market pressures, India also raised the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cooking cylinders by about 7% on Saturday.

Earlier in the week, the Ministry of Petroleum instructed domestic refiners to increase LPG output and encouraged the use of propane and butane in production processes to avoid potential shortages.