Russian Crude Deliveries to India Exceed $43 Billion in 2025

Russia is emerging as a crucial energy security partner for India, now supplying approximately half of the country’s oil imports. Crude deliveries from Russia to India surpassed $43 billion in 2025 and saw a 25% increase in the first six months of 2026, according to Vladimir Ladanov, minister-counsellor at the Russian embassy in India, who spoke at the Asia Energy Security Dialogue.

Ladanov highlighted that the cooperation is driven by a close political alignment and the complementary nature of both economies. He noted that India purchases crude from Russia, processes it at its refineries into oil products, satisfying domestic demand, and then profitably sells these products abroad. This economic synergy is further exemplified by Russia’s largest direct investment in India, Nayara Energy, where Rosneft holds a minority stake. Nayara sources its crude oil from Russia, refines it into oil products at its Vadinar refinery in Gujarat—India’s second-largest—and distributes petrol and diesel through over 7,000 petrol stations to Indian consumers, in addition to supplying numerous foreign customers.

Beyond crude oil, Russia and India are actively exploring partnerships in various energy sectors, including the gasification of Indian cities, the construction of new oil, gas, and petrochemical facilities, and the development of energy resources within India. Ladanov also underscored existing and future Indian investments in Russia’s energy sector. Both nations have each invested around $15 billion in each other’s oil and gas enterprises. Indian partners have opportunities to expand these investments through projects such as the Ust-Luga liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant and associated LNG shipment initiatives in Russia.

Indian companies are significantly involved in Russia's energy landscape, with ONGC Videsh participating in the Sakhalin-1 project in Russia’s Far East. Additionally, Oil India Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation, and Bharat PetroResources have acquired stakes in several Russian enterprises, including Vankorneft and Taas-Yuriakh in the Arctic. Indian firms are also exploring opportunities presented by the Vostok Oil cluster and new LNG projects on Russia’s Arctic shelf, which involve the development of Russia’s Arctic energy deposits and their shipment along the Northern Sea Route.

In nuclear power generation, Russia remains India’s most important and sole international partner. Ladanov recalled that Russia continued its support for the flagship Kudankulam nuclear power plant project even after Western powers imposed sanctions on India following its nuclear tests in 1998. Russia anticipates cooperating with India on a new nuclear power plant project once the Indian government identifies a suitable site. New opportunities are emerging in land-based and floating small modular reactors, the nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear science, and medicine. India’s SHANTI Act has also created avenues for cooperation with the private sector in nuclear energy generation. The Asia Energy Security Dialogue, where Ladanov spoke, was organized by the Indic Researchers Forum. India is set to be the first-ever official partner country at the Russia Energy Week International Forum in Moscow next week.

Editor's note: The draft accurately reflects the source's details on energy cooperation, trade figures, and corporate investments, maintaining a neutral and factual tone.