India tops Ukraine diesel imports despite US tariffs on Russian crude
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New Delhi: India has emerged as Ukraine’s largest diesel supplier, even as it faces a 50% tariff from the United States, a report said on Saturday.
The development comes amid US allegations that India is indirectly supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine by purchasing Russian crude.
According to Ukrainian oil market analytics firm NaftoRynok, India supplied 15.5% of Ukraine’s total diesel imports in July 2025, the highest share from any country. Daily deliveries in July averaged 2,700 tonnes, marking one of India’s strongest export months this year.
From January to July 2025, India’s share of Ukraine’s diesel imports rose to 10.2%, up from 1.9% in the same period in 2024. Much of this fuel reportedly reached Ukraine via tanker shipments through the Danube from Romania and the Opet terminal in Turkey.
Other significant suppliers in July included Slovakia (15%), Greece (13.5%), Turkey (12.4%), and Lithuania (11.4%, the report said. Analysts noted that a portion of these exports could include diesel refined from Russian-origin crude, though official data remains undisclosed.
The surge in Indian exports coincides with intensifying trade tensions between India and the US. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing 50% tariffs from August 27, citing India’s ongoing purchases of discounted Russian crude and labelling both India and Russia as “dead economies.”
The Indian government has condemned the tariffs as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable”, pledging to take necessary measures to safeguard its economic interests.
Experts noted that Russia supplies nearly 10% of global oil, and halting purchases by India could push crude prices to $200 per barrel. By continuing its imports, India is reportedly stabilising markets and supporting global energy supply, analysts said
With IANS inputs
