India lifted its crude imports to a record 5.26 million barrels per day in September, with Iraqi crude rising to 525,000 barrels a day, making Iraq the second‑largest supplier after Russia.
The uptick follows a sharp decline in Gulf shipments that began when the Iran‑Saudi conflict erupted on February 28, which had forced Gulf producers to divert cargoes away from Indian ports.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar also increased their flows, together accounting for 39% of India’s total crude imports in September, up from 27% in June.
Dealers are routing cargo through the Strait of Hormuz by turning off AIS transponders and conducting ship‑to‑ship transfers in UAE and Omani waters, a practice that has been adopted by dozens of large carriers.
The additional Gulf supply has given Indian refiners access to crude grades with higher middle‑distillate yields, easing pressure on plants that have been forced to rely on Russian crude after the passage of the Graham Bill.
With the Gulf flow stabilised, officials plan to monitor the sustainability of these routes through the winter and assess the impact on India’s long‑term import strategy.