Russia Asks India for More Gasoline as Refining Capacity Collapses

Moscow has approached Indian refineries for more gasoline imports amid an acute fuel shortage, according to industry sources cited by Reuters.

Russia, the world’s third-largest oil producer, has reportedly requested gasoline imports from India and Kazakhstan in June amid a sprawling fuel crisis spurred by Ukrainian strikes, with nationwide fuel rationing reported.

Reuters, in its Thursday report, said Russian oil giants Rosneft, Gazprom Neft and Lukoil have approached their Indian counterparts to raise imports, with the outlet’s source adding that deliveries are likely to be routed through traders.

Indian Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said New Delhi did not sell gasoline to Russia but argued that Moscow could’ve done so via traders, according to Reuters.

How much gasoline has been shipped to Russia?

Reuters, citing its earlier report, said the tanker Agni loaded 42,000 metric tons of gasoline ​from Nayara Energy, an Indian refinery partially owned by Russia’s Rosneft, between June ​18 and June 20.

According to satellite imagery cited by data analytics platform Kpler, the vessel conducted a ship-to-ship transfer with the tanker Garnet at Damietta Light off Egypt between July 6 and 7. The Garnet is expected to arrive in Russia by July 26.

Reuters, citing shipping sources, said another vessel, Varg, loaded an unspecified quantity of cargo at the same Indian port and is headed to Suez for a similar ship-to-ship transfer to Russia.

Other Topics of Interest

Fire Erupts at Russia’s Strategic Engels Air Base After Large-Scale Drone Strike

Drones targeted Russia’s Saratov Oblast overnight, with explosions reported across Saratov and Engels.

The refinery told Reuters it “has neither sold nor has any plans to sell fuel to Russian companies.”

Is the gasoline enough for Russia?

The imports appear to fall short of the consumption rate of 110,000 ​tons per day in summer previously cited by Reuters.

Earlier reports suggest Russia is reportedly importing 60,000 metric tons of gasoline from India – likely via the tankers Agni and Varg named earlier – and about 50,000 metric tons of AI-92 gasoline from Kazakhstan.

Combined with the 100,000 and 150,000 metric tons of gasoline per month from Belarus cited by a Russian minister, the figure still falls short of the estimated 3 million tons per month of consumption.

Ukrainian strikes have also wreaked havoc on Russia’s domestic production.

Reuters, citing “one of the sources with knowledge ⁠of the matter,” said nearly 40% of Russia’s refining capacity is unlikely to return in the next two months even if no new Ukrainian strikes are recorded.

Recent reports suggest that Russia’s crude processing rate – which produces gasoline, diesel, and other petroleum products – slumped to its lowest level in 21 years, at 3.91 million barrels per day in July 2026, with Kyiv estimating in early July that 43% of that capacity had been knocked offline.

As a result of the crisis, Russia has banned exports of gasoline starting in April, of jet fuel starting June 1, and of diesel starting July 8.