{
  "id": 10458664,
  "title": "Indian refiners buy costly West Asian barrels as Russian supply narrows",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/indian-refiners-buy-costly-west-asian-barrels-as-russian-supply",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-28T13:59:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindu BusinessLine",
    "slug": "hindu-businessline",
    "url": "https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/indian-refiners-buy-costly-west-asian-barrels-as-russian-supply-narrows/article71520261.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Indian crude oil imports surged to an average of roughly 5.3 million barrels per day (mb/d) in September, driven by refiners purchasing pricier West Asian barrels as Russian supplies dwindled, according to Kpler. This marked a notable increase of 600,000 b/d month-on-month and 700,000 b/d year-on-year. Russian imports tailed off to 1.75 mb/d, the lowest since April 2026. Russian arrivals had spiked in the preceding months, peaking at 2.8 mb/d in July before dropping to 1.75 mb/d in September. The reduction in Russian supply, especially ESPO grade, was attributed to continued Chinese imports in September, the third month in a row. Kpler's Lead Research Analyst for Refining & Modeling, Sumit Ritolia, highlighted that the Middle East, particularly Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, compensated for this shortfall, with imports rising to about 3 mb/d in September, nearing pre-war levels. Improved crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz, facilitated by ship-to-ship transfers and other logistical arrangements, aided this recovery. Traders noted that the UAE has utilized VLCCs to transport crude through the Oman channel, while Saudi Arabia and Iraq have also employed similar tactics. African and Venezuelan barrels have also contributed to diversifying India's crude imports. Overall, September showcased Indian refiners' adaptability in sourcing crude based on economics, availability, and geopolitical or logistical risks, maintaining high crude imports to sustain robust refinery utilization.",
  "summary": "Russian arrivals eased to around 1.75 mb/d in September, which is the lowest since April 2026",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindu BusinessLine",
        "title": "India’s Russian oil imports hit lowest level since April as refiners diversify",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/indias-russian-oil-imports-hit-lowest-level-since-april-as-refiners",
        "published": "2026-09-28T12:07:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}