Russia says it will stop publishing data on crude oil shipments to India

Russia will no longer share oil export numbers with India

Russia has said it will no longer release official figures on how much crude oil it exports to India, signalling a shift toward greater secrecy in one of the most closely watched energy trades in the world.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow would stop providing quantitative data about crude shipments to India. He said the decision was driven by concerns that such information could be used by countries seeking to pressure Russia or disrupt its trade relationships.

“We are not going to provide any quantitative data,” Peskov said, adding that “there are too many ill-wishers” interested in tracking the flow of Russian oil.

The move comes at a time when India has become one of the biggest destinations for Russian crude. Before 2022, most Russian oil exports were directed toward Europe. After Western sanctions linked to the Ukraine war shut many of those markets, Moscow redirected large volumes of crude toward Asia.

India quickly emerged as a key buyer. Refineries operated by companies such as Indian Oil Corporation, Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy began purchasing heavily discounted Russian crude. The price advantage allowed Indian refiners to boost margins while supplying both domestic fuel demand and export markets.

Since then, shipments of Russian oil to India have become one of the most closely monitored parts of global energy trade. Tanker tracking firms, energy analysts and governments regularly estimate volumes moving between Russian ports and Indian refineries. Peskov’s statement suggests the Kremlin wants to limit how much official confirmation is available about those flows.

The decision also comes after Washington introduced a temporary 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to continue buying Russian oil under certain conditions. The waiver was intended to prevent abrupt disruptions to global supply while sanctions on Russia remain in place.

Even without official Russian figures, analysts say tanker tracking data and port records will still provide some indication of how much oil is being shipped. But the absence of formal export statistics will make it harder to confirm precise volumes.

For India, Russian crude has become an important part of its import mix over the past three years. The country imports more than 80 percent of the oil it consumes, making access to discounted supplies strategically valuable.

Russia’s decision to stop publishing shipment data reflects the increasingly opaque nature of global oil trade since sanctions reshaped traditional supply routes. What used to be a straightforward flow of cargo between producers and buyers is now tracked through shipping databases, satellite monitoring and industry estimates rather than official disclosures.