Russia Turns to Indian Gasoline Imports as Ukraine War Strains Fuel Supply

Russia begun importing gasoline by sea from India in an effort to ease a growing domestic fuel shortage exacerbated by Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure and oil refineries, according to energy sector sources cited by Reuters.

The shipments mark a notable shift in Russia’s fuel trade flows, as the country grapples with supply disruptions that have spread across multiple regions, triggering fuel rationing measures, long queues at gas stations, and record-high gasoline prices in some areas.

Industry sources said Russia has already received its first deliveries of gasoline from India, totaling at least 60,000 metric tons. One source indicated that two tankers carrying between 30,000 and 40,000 tons each were dispatched as part of the initial wave of imports.

A separate source added that Moscow is preparing to import as much as 400,000 tons of gasoline per month from multiple suppliers, including Belarus, which has already increased its fuel exports to the Russian market.

Russia’s summer gasoline consumption is estimated at around 110,000 tons per day, a period that typically represents peak seasonal demand.

The Kremlin acknowledged earlier this week that it is in talks with several countries to secure fuel imports at competitive prices, as pressure mounts on domestic energy supplies.

President Vladimir Putin has also confirmed that drone strikes targeting Russian refineries have contributed to shortages in certain regions, while stating that the government is working to stabilize the market.

In response, Russia’s parliament approved amendments last week introducing tax measures designed to support fuel imports, with subsidies linked to shipping costs and import pricing structures, including those from India.

Belarus has also stepped up deliveries, with rail shipments of gasoline to Russia reportedly more than tripling in the first half of June, exceeding 70,000 tons, according to data reviewed by Reuters.

While the Indian refinery supplying the fuel has not been publicly identified, the development underscores deepening energy ties between Moscow and New Delhi, even as global oil trade patterns continue to shift under geopolitical pressure.

India, meanwhile, has sharply increased imports of Russian crude oil, which reached record levels in June. Data from Kpler and LSEG show that Russian crude accounted for more than 50% of India’s total oil imports last month, up from 36.5% in May.

India’s imports of Russian crude rose to approximately 2.7 million barrels per day in June, reinforcing Moscow’s position as India’s top energy supplier and highlighting the continued realignment of global oil flows amid Western sanctions and geopolitical tensions.