India is quietly rebalancing its crude imports as new United States sanctions disrupt Russian oil flows. In a recent interview with CNBC TV18, Christof Rühl, Global Advisor at Crystol Energy, explained how Indian refiners are already securing more supplies from the Middle East while the global market enters a new phase of adjustment.
Key takeaways:
Indian refiners are renting ships from the Middle East to replace part of their Russian crude imports, showing that substitution is under way on the ground.
Fresh United States sanctions on major Russian oil firms have created uncertainty for nearly forty eight million barrels of crude at sea, including shipments headed toward India.
The market is in a gradual adjustment phase, with flows expected to settle over the coming weeks as India moves to secure more predictable supplies.
India’s import bill is unlikely to rise meaningfully because markets remain well supplied and Russian discounts had already narrowed before the sanctions.
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