Exports of oil products to the West by refineries in India and two other countries rose 43 percent to one billion euros (about 1.2 billion US dollars) in September, continuing to process Russian crude oil. These exports have been to countries that have banned fuel made from Russian crude oil. This information has been given in the report of the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). According to the report, Gujarat-based Reliance Industries Ltd’s Jamnagar refinery supplied fuel to six of the seven cargo ships that arrived at EU ports in September. The supply comes at a time when the European Union has banned the import of oil products made from Russian crude oil.
How much fuel did which western countries buy?
The CREA report assessed exports from refineries in India, Turkey and Brunei that process Russian crude oil. From the refineries of these countries, the European Union purchased oil products worth 667 million euros, Australia 168 million euros, America 154 million euros and New Zealand 19 million euros. According to the organization’s estimates, these products worth 295 million euros were made from Russian crude oil. According to the report, the Jamnagar refinery also exported the highest value to the US, worth 122 million euros. Russian oil accounted for 32 percent of the refinery’s total crude oil imports from July to September.
7 ships sent to European Union
Of the seven cargo ships sent to the European Union, three arrived in Italy, two in Romania and one each in Spain and Cyprus. The value of declared exports from refineries processing Russian crude oil at EU ports rose 80 percent in September compared to August. This includes a vessel carrying 1.04 lakh tonnes of gasoil (diesel) shipped from the Jamnagar refinery, which was currently bound for Rotterdam. The European Union imposed a ban on imports of oil products derived from Russian crude in January 2026. However, net crude oil exporting countries are exempted from this restriction. CREA says this exemption leaves a loophole in the rules, as a country that is a net oil exporter does not ensure that its refineries will not process Russian crude.
Suggestion of CREA
The association has suggested that the ban should be enforced at the refinery level rather than at the country level. Under this, it is recommended to ban the import of finished oil products from any refinery that has processed Russian crude oil in the last six months, regardless of the declared country of origin of the product. However, CREA has clarified that this is only its suggestion. According to CREA, India’s Russian crude oil imports fell by 13 percent in September. This was the second straight monthly decline and the lowest level since April. The country’s three largest Russian oil-importing refinery units also saw a drop in imports. Jamnagar saw a decline of 27 per cent, Indian Oil Corporation’s (IOC) Paradip refinery 21 per cent and Nayara Energy’s Wadinar refinery eight per cent.
Wadinar surpassed Jamnagar
Despite the drop in imports, Wadinar overtook Jamnagar to become India’s largest importer of Russian crude oil in September, the report said. According to CREA, in September 2026, India was the world’s second largest buyer of fossil fuels from Russia. India imported a total of 410 crore Euro worth of fuel from Russia this month. It includes crude oil worth 360 crore euros, which accounts for 88 percent of the total purchases. The remaining imports include coal worth 309 million euros and oil products worth 161 million euros.
