India’s crude oil imports reached a record 23.32 million metric tons in May, up 9.8 per cent month-on-month, government data showed on Monday.
The data highlights demand in India, the world’s third-largest importer and consumer of oil, reflecting the broader economic and industrial activities driving it.
India’s fuel demand rose to 21.32 million metric tons in May, its highest in more than a year, Oil Ministry data showed this month.
India will take measures to safeguard domestic fuel supplies, oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday, after U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend raised the risk of disruption to Middle Eastern oil and gas, leading to soaring energy prices.
Oil prices jumped on Monday to their highest since January.
The share of Russian oil in India’s imports in May declined marginally as refiners cut purchases from Moscow by 15.7 per cent to 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd), tanker data from trade and industry sources showed.
By the numbers
On a yearly basis, crude oil imports climbed 5.9 per cent from 22.03 million metric tons in May 2024, according to data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC).
Imports of crude oil products fell by about 3.9 per cent on a yearly basis to 4.20 million tons in May, while product exports rose more than 7 per cent to 5.63 million tons.
