India increases gasoline exports to Russia amid domestic fuel shortages

Cars queue to refuel at fuel stations in Russia (Image credit: Reuters)

India has emerged as a major energy supplier to Russia, exporting almost 1 million barrels of gasoline over the past two months as Moscow turned to overseas supplies amid a worsening domestic fuel shortage. Russia’s seaborne gasoline imports reached a record of around 125,000 barrels per day (kbd) in August, equivalent to about 470,000 tonnes for the month, according to energy analytics firm Vortexa. India was among three countries supplying gasoline to Russia during the month, alongside Turkey and Morocco.

India steps up petrol supplies to Russia

The shipments have largely come from Nayara Energy’s Vadinar refinery in Gujarat, which is half-owned by Russia’s Rosneft. India’s role as a gasoline supplier comes against the backdrop of its increased purchases of Russian crude since 2022. India imported more than 2.6 million barrels per day of Russian crude in June and July, compared with 1 million bpd in February. During the period, Russian crude accounted for more than half of India’s crude imports. India’s refiners may therefore have used Russian crude to produce some of the gasoline subsequently shipped back to Russia. Vortexa said almost 55 per cent of Russia’s gasoline imports in August, or around 260,000 tonnes, arrived on sanctioned tonnage. "All India-origin gasoline cargoes Russia imported in August were carried on sanctioned fleets and involved dark ship-to-ship (STS) transfers in the Mediterranean," it said. Around 40 per cent of Russia’s total gasoline imports in August were moved through ship-to-ship transfers. Most of those operations were conducted in the dark, with vessels switching off their automatic identification system (AIS) signals.

Drone attacks disrupt Russian fuel output

The surge in gasoline imports came after repeated Ukrainian drone strikes disrupted operations at Russian refineries and sharply reduced domestic fuel production. Russia’s domestic gasoline production fell by as much as 70 per cent following attacks on its energy infrastructure. The disruption has forced Moscow, one of the world’s biggest crude exporters, to import fuel to meet domestic demand, while continuing to restrict fuel sales across the country. Vortexa said 32 attacks were carried out on Russian refineries during July and August, amounting to roughly one attack every other day. The fuel shortage has also affected Russia’s ability to export petroleum products. Moscow extended its full gasoline export ban for producers and non-producers in July through the end of January 2027. Its diesel export ban was extended through September 1, 2026. Russia’s seaborne diesel/gasoil exports were around 150,000 bpd through August 25, Vortexa said. The level was flat from the previous month but 610,000 bpd below the year-earlier level and 81 per cent below the five-year seasonal average. Vortexa expects Russia to continue importing some gasoline in the near term, citing the country’s historically lower gasoline-to-diesel production yields.

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