**Russia Becomes India’s Top Naphtha Supplier**
Russia has taken over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as India’s top naphtha supplier. This is according to preliminary data from Reuters, which reported on March 20.
The change comes after India’s refiners started buying discounted Russian shipments of naphtha, a type of fuel used in refineries. Russia redirected its fuel exports to Asia after Europe banned Russian oil following the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
**India Imports Cheaper Oil**
According to data from OilX and Kpler, India imported around 3 million tons of naphtha between April 2024 and March 2025. Russia supplied more than half of this amount, up from just 14-16% the previous year.
This is a significant shift for India, which has been trying to lower its import costs by relying on cheaper Russian oil. The country is the world’s third-largest importer and consumer of oil.
**Russian Oil Prices Lower**
Trade sources told Reuters that Russian oil was priced $14-15 per ton lower than Middle Eastern crude this week. This makes it an attractive option for India, which can save money by buying from Russia.
**Russia’s Share Grows**
Ship monitoring data shows that oil for the Indian refineries of HPCL Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL) and Reliance Industries was supplied from Russia’s Ust-Luga, Sheskharis, and Novorossiysk ports to West Indian ports like Mundra, Hazira, and Sikka.
In contrast, the UAE’s share of India’s naphtha imports fell to just over 20%, nearly half of its level in the same period last year.
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