India's Russian oil imports strong in September so far despite US pressure: Report

India imported 1.73 million barrels per day of Russian oil in the first 16 days of September

India’s Russian oil imports have remained strong in September so far with deliveries surpassing the last few months despite US pressure on New Delhi to cut the crude purchases from Moscow, the Indian Express reported on September 17.

The deliveries suggest that the 50 percent tariff imposed by the US President Donald Trump and constant attacks by other top American officials had almost no impact on Indian refiners’ decision to source it from Russia, the Express reported.

Moreover, the crude loadings at Russian ports is also stable in September, the newspaper reported citing tanker data and industry insiders.

India imported 1.73 million barrels per day of Russian oil in the first 16 days of September, the paper said citing global data. In July and August, the import volumes were at 1.59 million bpd and 1.66 million bpd, respectively, Express said.

In the past few months, ties between Washington and New Delhi soured over the latter’s Russian oil purchases, which Trump claimed fueled Moscow’s war machine in Ukraine. In its efforts to curb the oil purchases, the US administration had imposed a 25 percent secondary tariff on Indian goods in addition to a 25 percent base rate. The tariff was followed by several belligerent comments by top Trump aides, including Peter Navarro and Scott Bessent.

However, in the last few days, officials from both the nations are trying to resolve the trade issues, with a top US negotiator arriving in New Delhi on September 16 for talks. Trump also wished Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday, seen as thawing of relationship between the two leaders.