Reliance denies claims of Russian crude shipments to Jamnagar refinery
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Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has denied a Bloomberg report suggesting that three tankers carrying Russian crude oil were headed to its Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat. The company described the report as “blatantly untrue” and expressed concern over the publication of an article that it says damaged its reputation.
What Reliance has said
In an official statement posted on X, RIL clarified that its Jamnagar refinery has not received any Russian crude in the past three weeks and is not expecting any deliveries in January 2026.
The company highlighted that vessel tracking signals indicate potential destinations but do not confirm purchases or deliveries.
What did the news report claim?
Bloomberg had reported on January 2 that three vessels laden with Russian crude, totalling about 2.2 million barrels, were en route to Jamnagar. The report was based on vessel tracking data from Kpler, which monitors ship movements and projected destinations. The report implied that Reliance might have resumed Russian crude imports after scaling back deliveries amid US sanctions.
US sanctions and India’s crude imports
The report comes amid tighter US and European Union sanctions on Russian oil, including restrictions on shipping, insurance and financial transactions.
In August 2025, US President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India for importing Russian crude, raising the total US levies to 50 per cent.
Indian refiners, including Reliance, have been adjusting their procurement strategies in response, seeking to balance discontinued Russian crude with alternative supplies from West Asia, Africa and other regions to maintain refinery operations.
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