US sanctions cut India's Russian oil imports by a third, more reductions likely

India’s imports of Russian crude oil fell sharply after tougher US sanctions on major Russian exporters took effect on November 21, with post-deadline flows dropping to around 1.27 million bpd. Although November imports averaged 1.8 million bpd—a five-month high due to pre-sanction stockpiling—arrivals in December are expected to fall to around 1.0 million bpd, with analysts predicting a temporary dip toward 800,000 bpd before stabilisation.