Key facts
- Russia is importing gasoline from India to address domestic fuel shortages.
- Ukrainian drone strikes have disabled approximately 30% of Russia's oil refining capacity.
- An initial shipment of at least 60,000 metric tons of gasoline has been sent from India to Russia.
- Russia plans to import 400,000 metric tons of gasoline monthly from India and other countries.
- Belarus has increased its gasoline rail deliveries to Russia.
Russia is increasingly reliant on imported refined fuel, specifically gasoline from India, to counteract severe domestic shortages caused by sustained Ukrainian drone attacks on its oil refineries. These strikes have rendered approximately 30% of Russia's oil processing capacity offline, leading to a significant deficit in gasoline production, especially during peak summer demand. To bridge this gap, Russia has begun importing substantial volumes of gasoline by sea, with initial shipments of at least 60,000 metric tons dispatched from India. The Kremlin plans to import around 400,000 metric tons of gasoline monthly from India and other nations, supported by new tax amendments and subsidies to make these imports economically viable. Regional allies like Belarus have also increased their fuel deliveries to Russia. This situation highlights India's evolving role in the global energy market, transforming from a major buyer of discounted Russian crude to an exporter of refined products back to Russia.