India Russia Trade: India Supplies 70 Percent Of Russia's Fuel Imports In August

In a remarkable turn of events within the global energy landscape, India has become a critical supplier of petroleum products to Russia. According to a recent report by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), India accounted for approximately 70 percent of Russia's total oil product imports during the month of August. This development comes amidst the ongoing BRICS Summit 2026 context, highlighting a significant shift in the trade dynamics between the two nations. Historically, India imported less than 2 percent of its total oil requirements from Russia. However, after 2022, this figure surged past 40 percent, making Russia the largest supplier of crude oil to India. Now, the situation has reversed, with Russia relying on India for refined fuel.

Record Breaking Fuel Exports to Russia

72 lakh tons of petroleum products in August. 20 lakh tons of gasoline, which was valued at approximately 78 million euros. This volume of fuel import from India is more than seven times higher than the previous monthly record and nearly three times the total volume imported throughout the entire year of 2025. The surge in imports is primarily attributed to the impact of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and energy infrastructure, which have Notably hampered Russia's domestic refining capacity and created a fuel shortage within the country.

The Role of Vadinar Refinery and Nayara Energy

The CREA report specifies that the entire consignment of gasoline sent from India to Russia was processed at the Vadinar refinery located in Gujarat. 13 percent stake. Interestingly, the report notes that for the first eight months of 2026, the entire crude oil supply used by the Vadinar refinery originated from Russia, compared to an 81 percent share in 2025. This indicates a unique trade cycle where Russia exports its crude oil to a refinery it partially owns in India, which then processes the crude into refined fuel that Russia eventually imports back to meet its domestic needs.

Logistics and Transit Routes

The logistics of these shipments involved complex maritime operations. Each consignment of gasoline sent from Vadinar to Russia was transferred from one ship to another near the coast of Egypt before being finally unloaded at the Russian port of Beloye More. CREA highlighted that all vessels involved in these activities were restricted tankers, while the report further emphasizes that while Russia has historically been one of the world's largest exporters of refined petroleum products, the current situation has forced a change. In August, gasoline accounted for 74 percent of Russia's total oil product imports, a stark contrast to the average of only 6 percent recorded between 2023 and 2025.

Global Supply Chain and Russian Export Decline

Apart from India, other nations also contributed to Russia's fuel imports in August, though on a smaller scale. South Korea supplied 18,000 tons of oil products, mostly gasoil, while Egypt exported approximately 25,000 tons of diesel to Russia, valued at 16 million euros. Simultaneously, Russia's own maritime exports of oil products saw a decline of 21 percent in terms of volume. The loading of oil products at Russian ports decreased for the third consecutive month, reaching levels less than half of what was recorded in August 2025. Notably, the port of Tuapse, which was once Russia's fourth-largest oil product export hub, has not seen a single shipment for three months due to the persistent impact of Ukrainian drone strikes since May.