India does not have any information regarding a Russian oil-laden tanker reportedly diverting from China to its shores, a senior government official said on Wednesday.
Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said during an inter-ministerial meeting that authorities were not aware of any such vessel heading to India.
The statement comes after Bloomberg news reported earlier today that a tanker carrying Russian crude had changed course from China and was heading towards India. Ship-tracking data cited in those reports indicated that the vessel was expected to arrive at New Mangalore later this week.
The development follows a surge in India’s purchases of Russian oil, with refiners stepping up imports in recent weeks amid disruptions in Middle East supplies due to the ongoing West Asia conflict.
Data from Kpler and Vortexa also suggest, as per the report, that multiple tankers carrying Russian crude have altered their destinations mid-voyage from China to India, as refiners ramp up sourcing from Moscow.
Providing an operational update, Rajesh Kumar Sinha said 25 Indian nationals were repatriated from ports and locations in the affected region over the past 24 hours. The ministry’s control room handled 125 calls and 450 emails during the period, he added.
He also said cargo discharge from LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi is proceeding as scheduled, while additional storage space of about 2,250 square metres has been created at Visakhapatnam Port. No congestion has been reported at any port, he said.
Meanwhile, India’s purchases of Russian crude have surged nearly 50 per cent in March as refiners turn to alternative sources to off supply disruptions in the Middle East. Ship-tracking data shows imports rising to about 1.5 million barrels per day from 1.04 million bpd in February.
India, the world’s third-largest crude importer, meets about 88 per cent of its oil demand through imports, with a significant share typically routed via the Strait of Hormuz. The ongoing conflict has disrupted flows through the chokepoint, prompting refiners to ramp up sourcing from Russia.
Analysts have said earlier that the increase in Russian supplies is helping cushion the impact of reduced Middle East inflows, though risks remain, particularly for LPG. India imports a majority of its cooking gas requirements, much of which transits through the Strait of Hormuz, making supplies vulnerable to prolonged disruptions.
