According to two industry sources cited by Reuters on Wednesday, India has already shipped at least 60,000 metric tonnes of gasoline to Russia. One source said the shipment has already reached Russia, while another confirmed that two cargoes, each carrying between 30,000 and 40,000 tonnes of gasoline, have been dispatched. The identity of the Indian refinery supplying the fuel has not been disclosed.
The Kremlin confirmed on Tuesday that it is holding discussions with several countries to secure gasoline imports at acceptable prices as the government attempts to stabilize domestic fuel supplies. Another industry source stated that Russia plans to import approximately 400,000 tonnes of gasoline every month from multiple countries, including neighbouring Belarus, which is already supplying fuel to the Russian market.
The shortages have emerged during the peak summer season, when gasoline demand is at its highest. Russia's summer gasoline consumption stands at at least 110,000 tonnes per day, placing additional pressure on the country's fuel distribution network.
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged on Sunday, during a meeting with government ministers and senior officials, that repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries had created fuel shortages in several regions of the country. The attacks have significantly disrupted refining capacity, forcing the government to explore emergency import options.
Last week, Russia's parliament approved amendments to the country's tax code aimed at addressing the fuel crisis caused by the drone strikes. The measures include subsidies for gasoline imports based on Indian delivery costs and prevailing fuel prices, providing financial support for overseas purchases as domestic production remains under pressure.
At the same time, India's imports of Russian crude oil reached a record high in June, according to ship-tracking data from LSEG and Kpler. Indian refiners increased purchases of Russian crude to reduce the impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure on supplies from other sources.
Data from Kpler showed that Russian crude accounted for more than half of India's total oil imports in June, a sharp increase from 36.5 per cent in May. Preliminary figures from Kpler and LSEG indicated that India, the world's third-largest oil importer, received approximately 2.70 million barrels of Russian crude oil per day during June.
The latest fuel trade highlights the growing energy relationship between India and Russia at a time when Moscow is grappling with one of its most severe domestic fuel shortages in recent years. While Russia continues to depend heavily on Indian purchases of its crude oil exports, it has now also turned to India for gasoline supplies as Ukrainian attacks continue to disrupt the country's energy infrastructure.
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