Indian refiners have purchased about 60 million barrels of Russian crude for
April delivery, more than double February’s volume, following a U.S. waiver
allowing pre-March 5 shipments. Deals were struck at $5–$15 per barrel above
Brent. The purchases ease supply constraints caused by the near-closure of the
Strait of Hormuz, with companies like Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals and
Hindustan Mittal Energy returning to the Russian market. India is also securing
8 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, its highest since October 2020, as global
oil disruptions persist.