New Delhi: Reliance Industries announced on Thursday that it has halted imports of Russian crude oil into its export-focused refinery, as Western sanctions on Russian oil products tighten.

India’s relationship with its Western allies has been under pressure due to its continued purchases of discounted Russian oil following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump had in August imposed tariffs of 50 percent on most Indian imports, alleging that India was “financing Russia's war coffers”.

Reliance Industries, India’s largest buyer of Russian crude, said it had “stopped importing Russian crude oil” into its export-oriented refinery in Gujarat with effect from November 20.

The company added, “From December 1, all product exports from the SEZ (Special Economic Zone) refinery will be obtained from non-Russian crude oil.”

The statement further noted that the transition had been completed ahead of schedule to comply with product-import restrictions taking effect on January 21, 2026.

Reliance is the first major Indian refiner to publicly announce this transition before the European Union’s January 2026 deadline, when petroleum products refined from Russian oil in third countries will be banned.

Earlier, US sanctions had prompted state-backed HPCL-Mittal Energy to pause imports from Moscow.

Trump has also stated that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to reduce Russia oil imports as part of a prospective US trade deal — a claim New Delhi has not confirmed.

However, trade figures indicate that India’s Russian crude purchases are beginning to decline.

Negotiations between India and the United States continue, despite differences on issues including agricultural trade and Russian oil purchases.

AFP