India has directed its oil refiners to submit weekly disclosures of crude oil purchases from Russia and the United States, a first-of-its-kind move intended to provide the Prime Minister’s Office with verified data for ongoing trade negotiations with Washington, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Issued through the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), the mandate aims to replace third-party estimates with official figures, thereby easing diplomatic friction over India’s energy sourcing.
The data-sharing initiative comes as Indian officials anticipate that Russian crude imports will drop below one million barrels per day (mmbbl/d) in the coming months—a significant decline from the peak of two million barrels per day (mmbbl/d) recorded in June.
This transition follows the US decision last year to double tariffs on Indian goods to 50% in retaliation for New Delhi’s heavy intake of discounted Russian oil. While Russia supplied 35% of India’s crude in 2025, the U.S. share has remained significantly lower at 6.6%, prompting New Delhi to explore a rebalancing of its energy portfolio to secure a comprehensive trade agreement
Government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasized that the shift to weekly reporting is vital for consolidating India’s negotiating position. “We want timely and accurate data so that we can provide verified figures instead of relying on secondary sources,” one official noted. Major refiners, including Reliance Industries and Indian Oil Corp, are now required to provide these granular details, which are expected to remain confidential for internal and diplomatic use.
The broader trade negotiations between the two nations have been volatile, collapsing in July after disagreements over agricultural market access and geopolitical mediation roles.
However, as talks resume, energy has emerged as a primary pillar of the discussions. In addition to crude oil, India has significantly increased its imports of American natural gas, further signaling its intent to diversify energy ties and narrow the trade deficit with the US.
Despite public insistence that Russian imports are essential for energy security, the tightening of US and European Union sanctions has already slowed Russian flows.
December inflows fell to a three-year low of 1.2 mmbbl/d, reflecting a 40% drop from previous highs. By providing Washington with transparent, weekly tracking of these evolving trade flows, New Delhi aims to demonstrate a tangible shift in its procurement strategy, potentially paving the way for a rollback of the 50% penalty tariffs.
