New Delhi: The United States has given India a temporary 30-day waiver to buy Russian oil. This allows Indian refiners to purchase Russian crude that is already loaded on ships and stranded at sea.
This decision comes because of rising tensions in West Asia. A joint US-Israel military strike on February 28 hit Iranian territory and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with other senior officials. This has caused fears of disruptions in oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. Around 40% of India’s crude imports pass through this key route.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a post on X “To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil. This deliberately short-term measure will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government as it only authorizes transactions involving oil already stranded at sea.
We fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of U.S. oil. This stop-gap measure will alleviate pressure caused by Iran’s attempt to take global energy hostage,” he added.
The waiver helps ease short-term pressure on global oil supplies. Nearly 9.5 million barrels of Russian oil are currently near Indian waters and could reach India in weeks, as per government sources. Russia has said it is ready to redirect crude to India to help with possible supply issues.
India’s refiners process about 5.6 million barrels of crude per day. The country has limited emergency reserves, covering roughly 25 days of demand. New Delhi is checking crude availability for the next 10 to 15 days.
Russian crude has been important for India since the Ukraine war. Imports from Russia fell to about 1.1 million barrels per day in January- the lowest since November 2022- but later rose to around 30% of India’s total crude imports.
Opposition leaders have criticised the Modi government
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X: “This is Trump’s new game. He told his friend in Delhi that you can purchase Russian oil. How long will this American blackmail continue ?”
The Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi had earlier criticised the government in Lok Sabha on February 11, 2026. He said “The US will tell us who we can or can not buy oil from – If it’s Russia or Iran, the US will decide. But our Prime Minister will not decide.
They will monitor if India buys oil from anyone they do not want, they will punish us. The proof is here to be seen and the silence of the compromised Prime Minister is shameful.”
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said “When the United States decides to allow India to purchase Russian oil for just 30 days, it raises a fundamental question. Why should India need another country’s approval to secure its own energy needs?
The Union BJP Government looks totally compromised on India’s long standing tradition of strategic autonomy and an independent foreign policy. India’s dignity in the international arena needs to be protected and the nation’s sovereignty and interests need to be defended,” Stalin added.
Any big increase in Russian oil buys may depend on New Delhi’s policy, as energy trade with the US remains sensitive.
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