India is still buying Russian crude at close to record levels in July, even after a U.S. waiver tied to purchases of Russian oil loaded on tankers expired on June 17. The latest trend suggests there has been no immediate sharp pullback in imports following the policy change.
The development highlights the resilience of energy trade flows between India and Russia. Despite the waiver ending the previous month, Indian crude import volumes have remained elevated, showing that Russian supplies continue to hold a significant place in India's oil sourcing.
The timing has drawn attention because the waiver expired quietly while the United States and India were engaged on broader matters, according to the report. Even so, the available data indicates that import activity in July has stayed close to historic highs rather than falling quickly after the deadline passed.
For oil markets, the situation points to the difficulty of rapidly shifting established supply routes. If the current pace continues, Russia is likely to remain a major supplier for India, while global crude trade patterns continue to adapt more gradually than policy changes alone might suggest.
