Amid US pressure, India is gradually shifting its purchases of crude oil from Russia to the US. Recent oil market data indicates this. India’s crude oil imports from the US have reached their highest level since 2022. In October 2025, India’s crude oil imports from the US will be the highest since 2022.
Till October 27, 2025, India is importing 5,40,000 barrels of crude oil per day from the US. One barrel contains 159 liters of oil. However, the US’s share in India’s total imports is still limited, around 5 to 7 percent. Whereas, India’s crude oil imports from Russia were 35 to 40 percent of the total imports. However, in view of the US sanctions, India has now started import diversification. Due to US sanctions and global pressure on Russia, India has started reviewing its Russian oil contracts. This is why companies like BPCL are looking for alternative sources of imports.
India’s growth engine will now run on American oil
India’s crude oil imports from the US are expected to reach 5,75,000 barrels per day by the end of October. According to indications from the US market, India may import 4,00,000 to 4,50,000 barrels of crude oil per day in November. These figures represent a significant increase in oil imports from the US. Compared to previous figures, India earlier imported an average of 3,00,000 barrels of crude oil per day from the US.
However, Russia remains India’s largest crude oil supplier. India currently sources one-third of its total imports from Russia. Iraq is at second place and Saudi Arabia at third place. Meanwhile, a statement from India’s largest state-run oil company, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is also noteworthy. The IOC has said it will abide by the sanctions imposed by the international community. The IOC is referring to sanctions imposed by the US on two Russian companies, Rosneft and Lukoil.
After this ban, IOC will not be able to import oil from these companies. According to an Indian Express report, Indian Oil Corporation sources 21% of its crude oil imports from Moscow. India imports about 86% of its crude oil needs, and Russia is currently India’s largest oil supplier.
However, the US believes that by purchasing oil from Russia on such a large scale, India is providing economic power to Russia to fight the war in Ukraine. Trump has called it India’s funding for the Ukraine war and is demanding an end to it as soon as he becomes president for the second time.
Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on India on purchasing oil from Russia, taking the total US tariff on India to 50%. This has adversely affected India’s foreign trade with the US and has had a negative impact on Indian exports to the US. According to a report, India’s exports to the US have declined by 37.5 percent due to the high US tariffs.
The Economic Times, citing a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), reported that after the imposition of tariffs on most Indian goods, Indian exports to the US have declined by a massive 37.5 percent. According to the report, exports to America have declined in four months. From $8.8 billion in May 2025, it fell to $5.5 billion in September, the sharpest and most consistent decline this year.
Now, Trump is expected to ease tariffs
India is in constant talks with America. It is expected that a solution will be found on the tariff issue between the two countries. Meanwhile, India has started making strategic adjustments due to pragmatic energy security and geopolitical balance, and has increased oil imports from the US to a three-year high. India now hopes that Trump will change his tariff strategy towards India.
India-US trade talks have passed through several important junctures in 2025. After Trump’s tariff war, India faces the challenge of presenting its case to America. It is believed that an agreement has been reached between the two countries on many issues and now work is going on on the legal language of the agreement. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on October 23-24 that the talks are positive, but India will not rush into any agreement under pressure.
Following high-level talks in September–October 2025, the US indicated that partial tariff cuts on strategic products were possible. America has now appealed to India to ease the import of agricultural products, energy and technology products. India has also begun discussions on concessions on issues such as US ethanol blending, corn and defense cooperation. Although no final trade agreement has been reached yet, negotiations are ongoing, but both sides are moving to balance the trade and agree on possibilities for new partnerships.
