India Ramps Up Gasoline Supply to Russia Amid Refinery Attacks

India has become a critical gasoline supplier to Russia, driven by severe disruptions to Russia’s domestic fuel production from Ukrainian drone attacks. Russia’s seaborne gasoline imports surged to a record 125,000 barrels per day in August.

Key Supply Figures

• Russia’s seaborne gasoline imports in August: around 125,000 barrels per day.
• Indian refiners, including Nayara Energy, supplied approximately 1 million barrels of gasoline over the last two months.
• Russia’s domestic fuel output drop: 70 percent.

This substantial increase in imports directly follows extensive damage to Russian refineries, forcing Moscow to seek foreign petroleum products. Indian refiners, notably Nayara Energy’s Vadinar refinery, partly owned by Russia’s Rosneft, were significant contributors to this supply.

Refinery Disruptions Drive Demand

The ongoing Ukrainian drone attacks have severely impacted Russia’s refining capacity, leading to a 70 percent drop in domestic fuel output. This has compelled Moscow to import fuel and impose restrictions on fuel sales nationwide.

• Energy analytics firm Vortexa reported 32 attacks on Russian refineries during July and August alone.
• Besides India, Turkey and Morocco also supplied gasoline to Russia in August.
• Approximately 55 percent of Russia’s imported gasoline in August arrived on sanctioned tonnage.

These imports often involved clandestine ship-to-ship transfers in the Mediterranean, with vessels frequently disabling their automatic identification system (AIS) signals. While gasoline imports have spiked, Russian diesel exports remain heavily constrained due to existing export bans, refinery damage, and disruptions at fuel terminals.

The shift highlights the dynamic reordering of global energy trade flows as geopolitical events reshape traditional supply chains. India’s role has expanded significantly in providing refined products, reportedly from Russian crude oil imported since 2022.