Russian oil supplies to India rise to 2-2.5 mln barrels per day

NEW DELHI, June 8. /TASS/. India has increased oil imports from Russia to around 2-2.5 mln barrels per day, Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said in an interview with News18 television.

"In February, we were importing 1.65 mln barrels per day from Russia. Now this figure has risen to around 2-2.5 mln," he said.

Responding to a question about Western pressure on India aimed at limiting the republic’s purchases of Russian oil, the minister noted that there has been no ban on buying Russian oil.

In August last year, the US administration imposed additional tariffs of 25% on India over New Delhi’s purchases of Russian energy resources. Beginning February 7, the US authorities lifted those tariffs, claiming that India had allegedly abandoned purchases of Russian oil. India’s Foreign Ministry, for its part, noted that ensuring the energy security of the republic’s 1.4 bln citizens remains the government’s top priority, and New Delhi will procure oil from other countries based on its national interests.

In March, the US authorities lifted sanctions on transactions involving the sale of Russian oil and petroleum products loaded onto vessels before that date; the decision was subsequently extended and expanded. Washington took this step amid a surge in oil prices caused by the consequences of the US war against Iran. Russia currently remains one of India’s key oil suppliers.