India’s imports of Russian crude oil rose 4 percent in November 2025 to a five-month high of €2.6 billion, according to data released by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) on December 11, 2025. This positioned India as the second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels after China, which took 47 percent of Russia’s crude exports while India secured 38 percent, with Russia supplying about 35 percent of India’s total crude needs. Despite US sanctions imposed on October 22 targeting producers like Rosneft and Lukoil, state-owned refineries boosted volumes by 22 percent month-on-month by sourcing from non-sanctioned entities, while private refiners scaled back slightly; overall import volumes stayed stable. Leveraging discounted Russian barrels amid falling European demand, India enhanced its energy security and ramped up refined fuel exports, notably a 69 percent surge to Australia worth €150 million from Jamnagar refinery, alongside shipments to the EU, US, and others, bolstering its strategic role in global oil trade.