CHENNAI: Reliance Industries has resumed limited purchases of Russian crude oil after briefly pausing buys amid increased scrutiny from the United States. Three tankers carrying close to 2.2 million barrels of Russia’s Urals crude are currently on their way to the company’s Jamnagar refining complex, where the oil will be used mainly for producing fuels for the domestic market, Bloomberg reported on Friday.
The move signals a cautious return rather than a full resumption of Russian crude intake. Reliance had earlier slowed or halted purchases as regulatory attention intensified around trade flows involving Russian oil, particularly transactions linked to private refiners and shipping arrangements that could attract closer monitoring from Western authorities.
Urals crude continues to be attractive for Indian refiners because of its discounted pricing compared with other global grades. For Reliance, which operates the world’s largest refining complex, access to competitively priced crude is important to sustain high refinery utilisation and healthy margins. At the same time, the company has been careful to ensure that its sourcing strategy remains aligned with international compliance norms, given its global business footprint.
Industry watchers see the latest shipments as a measured step rather than a strategic shift. The volume involved is modest relative to Reliance’s overall refining capacity, indicating that the company is keeping its options open and adjusting purchases based on pricing, logistics and regulatory comfort.
The development also reflects India’s broader balancing act between securing affordable energy supplies and managing geopolitical sensitivities. While state-run refiners have continued to buy Russian oil steadily, private refiners such as Reliance have shown greater caution due to their exposure to international markets and financial systems.
For now, analysts expect Reliance’s purchases of Russian crude to remain selective and opportunistic. The cargoes heading to Jamnagar suggest the company is willing to re-engage cautiously, while maintaining a diversified crude basket and staying alert to geopolitical and regulatory developments.