Indian Oil, BPCL resume buying Russian oil for September, sources say
By Nidhi Verma
NEW DELHI, Aug 20 (Reuters) - India's state-run refiners Indian Oil IOC.NS and Bharat Petroleum BPCL.NS have bought Russian oil for September and October delivery, resuming purchases after discounts widened, two company officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday.
The resumption in Russian oil imports by Indian state refiners could reduce supplies for top buyer China which had stepped up purchases during their absence.
The refiners halted purchases in July due to narrower discounts and after India was criticised by Washington for its purchases of Russian oil. President Donald Trump also threatened an additional 25% levy on Indian goods, effective August 27, to penalize New Delhi for its continued buying of the oil.
Discounts for Russian flagship Urals crude have widened to about $3 per barrel, making the oil attractive for Indian refiners, while China has stepped up purchases, the officials said.
In addition to Urals, IOC has also bought other Russian crude oil grades including Varandey and Siberian Light, they said.
Indian companies do not comment on their crude imports.
On Monday, IOC, the country's top refiner, told analysts that it would continue to buy Russian oil depending on economics.
In recent weeks, Chinese refineries bought 15 cargoes of Russian oil for October and November delivery, according to two analysts and one trader.
Related Articles
What to Watch in Nvidia’s Q2 FY2026 Earnings: AI Growth, Margins, and Market Impact
TradingKey - NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) will report its Q2 FY2026 earnings on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, after the U.S. market closes. The earnings call is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. With Nvidia being a bellwether in AI, gaming, and data center markets, and carrying significant...
U.S. July PCE and Q2 GDP Preview: With Rate Cuts Looming, Will U.S. Stocks Continue to Rise?
TradingKey - On 28-29 August 2025, the U.S. will release July PCE and Q2 GDP data. Market expectations suggest both headline and core PCE will rise 0.3% month-over-month, consistent with June figures. For growth, in line with the preliminary estimate on 30 July, the revised Q2 annualised real GDP gr
U.S. Dollar Index: Assessing Its Future Trend Through Macro Analysis of the U.S., Eurozone, Japan, and U.K.
TradingKey - Looking ahead, in the U.S., slowing economic growth combined with ongoing interest rate cuts will exert downward pressure on the dollar. In the Eurozone, weak economic performance and continued ECB rate cuts will likely depreciate the euro, indirectly supporting the U.S. Dollar Index...
Powell's Jackson Hole Speech: For U.S. Stocks, Hawk or Dove Signal Could Be a Lose-Lose?
TradingKey - As U.S. inflation and labor market data show signs of rebalancing, Treasury traders and Wall Street banks have largely priced in a rate cut at the September FOMC meeting — the first of 2025. Yet both a more dovish-than-expected tone and a potential surprise hawkish signal from Fed Chair
Eurozone Q2 GDP Commentary: Will the Euro's Upward Momentum Persist?
TradingKey - On 14 August 2025, Eurostat published Q2 GDP figures, revealing a drop in the Eurozone's quarter-on-quarter growth from 0.6% in the first quarter to 0.1%. Consequently, annual growth eased from 1.5% to 1.4%. The slowdown primarily stems from the diminishing boost from European...
