

Saudi Arabia India’s top oil supplier in Feb as Russian flows recede after US trade deal
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: Saudi Arabia has surpassed Russia as India’s top oil supplier so far this month after a price cut, signalling New Delhi’s effort to reduce imports from Moscow after its trade pact with the US. Saudi Arabia shipped 1.13 million barrels per day (bpd) in the first 10 days of February compared to 1.09 million bpd by Russia, according to data from global ship tracking firm Kpler.
The Gulf nation has crossed 1 million bpd after a year. In January, India imported 1.14 million bpd from Russia, followed by 1.03 million bpd from Iraq and 774,000 bpd from Saudi Arabia. While still early, the change in India’s oil sourcing pecking order marks a realignment following India’s agreement on a trade deal framework with the Donald Trump administration.
The US has announced to reduce reciprocal tariffs on India to 18% and has already withdrawn the 25% additional levy imposed to deter India from buying Russian crude. India imports nearly 90% of its oil requirements, making it the world’s third-largest crude buyer. The country is also the world’s fourth-largest refiner, with 258.1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of refining capacity, which is expected to reach 309.5 mtpa by 2030.
Supplies from Saudi Arabia have also risen because of lower freight costs due to a shorter distance and after Saudi Arabian Oil Co (Aramco), the world’s top oil producer, removed the $0.30 a barrel premium, bringing the price on a par with the Oman and Dubai grade. “Saudi Arabia has significant spare capacity of crude, and it can ramp up supplies swiftly compared to other major suppliers," said Prashant Vasisht, senior vice-president and co-group head, corporate ratings at Icra Ltd. “Also, the freight rate of supplies
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