India’s largest state-owned refiners, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), have struck deals to import at least 22 million barrels of non-Russian crude for delivery in September and October, according to trade sources. The move follows a pause in Russian oil purchases after diplomatic pressure from the United States.

Since 2022, Indian state refiners have relied heavily on discounted Russian crude, filling the gap left by Western buyers following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. But in late July, the shipments were halted, reportedly after direct appeals from U.S. President Donald Trump to scale back purchases from Russia.

In its most recent tender, IOC procured 2 million barrels of U.S. Mars crude, 2 million barrels of Brazilian grades, and 1 million barrels of Libyan crude on a delivered basis. The U.S. cargo was sold at a premium of $1.50–$2 per barrel over September Dubai benchmark prices, sources said. Additional volumes were supplied by European trader Petraco and the trading arm of TotalEnergies, Totsa.

These latest deals come on top of IOC’s earlier purchase of 8 million barrels for September delivery from suppliers in the Middle East, North America, and Africa.

BPCL, India’s second-largest state refiner, sourced about 9 million barrels for September arrival through direct negotiations. The cargoes reportedly include Angolan Girassol, U.S. Mars, Abu Dhabi Murban, and Nigerian grades.

Analysts note that improving shipping economics for moving crude from the Atlantic Basin to Asia have encouraged these purchases, as refiners look to diversify supply while navigating shifting geopolitical pressures.

Neither IOC nor BPCL commented on the transactions, consistent with industry practice on crude procurement confidentiality.

This pivot highlights India’s balancing act between securing affordable energy supplies and managing diplomatic relations with major global powers.