India continued to rank as the world’s second-largest importer of Russian fossil fuels in May, according to a report by the European think tank Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). The country imported an estimated €5.8 billion (about USD 6.7 billion) worth of Russian oil, gas, and coal during the month, as refiners increased their crude purchases from Russia.
Most of these imports were crude oil, which made up around 83 per cent of the total. The value of crude imports stood at €4.8 billion. Oil products accounted for €550 million, while coal imports were valued at €429 million.
8 per cent hike reported in May
CREA noted a rise in India’s overall crude imports in May, which increased by 8 per cent compared to the previous month. This growth was partly driven by a 21 per cent rise in imports from Russia.
Several major Indian refining centres recorded higher inflows of Russian crude. At the Vadinar refinery in Gujarat, unloaded volumes rose by 36 per cent compared to April. The Jamnagar refining complex also saw a 14 per cent increase in deliveries.
State-owned refiners also expanded their purchases after resuming imports earlier in the year. The New Mangalore and Visakhapatnam refineries, which had stopped importing Russian crude at the end of November 2025, restarted purchases in March and continued buying through May. Imports at New Mangalore rose by 13 per cent month-on-month, while Visakhapatnam recorded a sharp 42 per cent increase.
The Paradip refinery in Odisha also saw its highest level of Russian crude intake in two years, highlighting the continued demand for discounted Russian oil among Indian refiners despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and sanctions concerns.
India has emerged as a key buyer of Russian oil since Western sanctions were imposed following the Ukraine conflict. Indian refiners have increased their intake of discounted crude, helping to reduce energy costs while improving refining margins and boosting fuel exports.
CREA said Russia still plays a significant role in India’s crude import mix, even as the country continues to diversify supplies from regions such as the Middle East, Africa, and the United States.
The report also highlighted global trade flows.
“In May 2026, China remained the largest global buyer of Russian fossil fuels, accounting for 38 per cent (Euro 7. 0 billion) of Russia's export revenues from the top five importers. Crude oil made up 69 per cent (Euro 4. 8 bn) of China's purchases, followed by pipeline gas (Euro 618 million), then coal (Euro 525 million), and lastly LNG (Euro 510 million). Oil products (Euro 479 million) constituted the remainder of China's imports,” it said.
Supplies continue in Europe despite EU sanctions
CREA added that despite the European Union’s ban on imports of oil products refined from Russian crude from 21 January 2026, some shipments still reached EU ports in May. Ten consignments of oil products from refineries using Russian crude were reportedly unloaded.
It further stated, “Refineries using Russian crude in India, Turkiye, Brunei, and Georgia exported Euro 641 million of oil products to sanctioning countries in May 2026. The importers included the EU (Euro 174 million), Australia (Euro 275 million), the US (Euro 147 million) and New Zealand (Euro 45 million). An estimated Euro 214 million of these products were refined from Russian crude.”
Exports to the United States were linked to refineries including Reliance Industries Ltd’s Jamnagar facility, the SOCAR-owned STAR refinery in Turkiye, and the Tupras Izmit refinery. The report also noted that in the previous three months, 39 per cent of the STAR refinery’s crude oil feedstock and 15 per cent of the Jamnagar refinery’s feedstock came from Russia.
