New Delhi (IANS): India has sharply increased its purchases of Russian oil, prompting several tankers to change course mid-journey and head towards Indian ports instead of China.
The Aframax tanker Aqua Titan is now set to arrive at New Mangalore on March 21 with a cargo of Urals crude, according to reports. The vessel had initially listed Rizhao in China as its destination after loading oil from a Baltic Sea port in late January.
In mid-March, the tanker altered its route in the South China Sea and redirected towards India.
The shift followed a decision by the United States to allow India to temporarily increase its imports of Russian oil.
Taking advantage of this window, Indian refiners ramped up purchases, buying nearly 30 million barrels of Russian crude within a week.
Refiners made these purchases to manage supply concerns after disruptions in Middle Eastern oil supplies linked to the ongoing Iran conflict.
The trend extends beyond a single vessel. Data from analytics firm Vortexa shows that at least seven ships carrying Russian oil have recently diverted from China to India.
With major Indian refiners actively sourcing Russian crude again, India is regaining its position as a key buyer for Moscow, according to the report.
Another tanker, the Suezmax Zouzou N., is also heading to India’s Sikka port and is expected to arrive on March 25. The vessel carries CPC Blend crude from Kazakhstan. It had earlier sailed from Novorossiysk in Russia’s Black Sea region and initially headed towards Rizhao before changing course in early March.
The easing of restrictions has also enabled countries such as Japan and South Korea to resume Russian oil imports.
Analysts said that rising demand from multiple buyers could push global oil prices higher in the coming weeks.
