Russia Halts Disclosure of Oil Export Volumes to India Amid Growing Global Scrutiny

Russia has announced that it will no longer publish official data on the volume of crude oil shipments to India, marking a significant shift in transparency around one of the most closely monitored energy trade relationships in the world.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the decision, stating that Moscow will stop providing quantitative information regarding crude exports to India. According to Peskov, the move is aimed at preventing hostile countries from using such data to pressure Russia or interfere with its energy trade.

“We will not provide any quantitative data,” Peskov said, adding that several parties are actively attempting to track and influence Russian oil flows.

India emerges as a major buyer

India has become one of the largest importers of Russian crude oil since 2022. Before the Ukraine conflict, Russia primarily exported oil to European markets. However, Western sanctions forced Moscow to redirect much of its crude exports toward Asian buyers.

Indian refiners, including Indian Oil Corporation, Reliance Industries, and Nayara Energy, began purchasing Russian oil at discounted rates. These discounted supplies helped Indian refiners improve profit margins while meeting domestic fuel demand and supplying export markets.

Oil flows under global scrutiny

The surge in Russian crude shipments to India has attracted close attention from energy analysts, tanker-tracking companies, and global policymakers. These observers have relied on shipping data and port records to estimate the scale of the trade.

By halting official disclosures, Russia appears to be limiting the availability of confirmed information regarding these shipments.

US waiver and sanctions context

The announcement also follows a temporary 30-day waiver issued by the United States, allowing Indian refiners to continue purchasing Russian crude under specific conditions. The measure was intended to prevent disruptions in global oil supply while sanctions against Russia remain in place.

Despite the lack of official Russian data, analysts say shipping databases, satellite tracking and port activity records will still provide approximate insights into the scale of oil flows between the two countries.

Strategic importance for India

India imports more than 80 percent of the crude oil it consumes, making access to competitively priced supplies crucial for its energy security. Discounted Russian crude has therefore become a key component of India’s energy strategy over the past few years.

Russia’s decision to stop publishing export statistics reflects a broader shift in the global oil market, where sanctions and geopolitical tensions have increasingly pushed energy trade into a more opaque and difficult-to-track environment.

Originally published on 24×7-news.com.