Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on Tuesday strongly refuted media reports claiming that Russian crude oil shipments were en route to its Jamnagar refinery, calling such reports “blatantly untrue.” The clarification came after Bloomberg reported that at least three tankers carrying Russian crude had indicated a Reliance refinery as their next port of call. In a statement, RIL stated that no Russian crude had reached its facilities in the last three weeks and that the company does not expect any such cargo deliveries in January.

On its social media platform X, the company emphasized that the report ignored its prior statements and “tarnished” the company’s image. “Reliance Industries’s Jamnagar refinery has not received any cargo of Russian oil in the past three weeks approx. and is not expecting any Russian crude oil deliveries in January,” the company wrote, expressing concern over what it described as a failure of responsible journalism.

Reliance’s Policy on Russian Crude

Reliance had announced in November 2025 that it would cease using Russian crude oil for the export-oriented section of its refinery. Following this decision, the company has reportedly been sourcing crude for domestic consumption from non-sanctioned Russian producers. The clarification from RIL comes amid heightened scrutiny of India’s energy imports from Russia, particularly against the backdrop of global sanctions and geopolitical tensions.

US Pressure on Indian Oil Purchases

India’s continued imports of Russian oil have been a point of contention with the United States. Last year, then-US President Donald Trump had warned India of higher tariffs and potential sanctions if the country continued purchasing oil from Russia. In October 2025, Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that India would halt Russian oil imports.

This year, Trump publicly suggested that India had reduced its Russian oil purchases merely “to make me happy” and indicated that Washington could quickly raise tariffs on Indian exports if necessary.

Import Data and Trends

India’s oil imports from Russia remained significant despite diplomatic pressure. According to the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, India’s purchases of Russian oil amounted to $3.72 billion in November 2025. Analytics firm Kpler reported that imports from Russia fell in December, reflecting a downward trend influenced in part by US sanctions on major Russian energy firms such as Rosneft and Lukoil, both of which had commercial ties with India.

Meanwhile, India’s oil imports from the United States increased to $1.44 billion in November. The increase aligns with India’s prior commitment to raise energy purchases from the US from $15 billion to $25 billion. Indian public sector oil firms also signed a one-year agreement in November to import 2.2 million tonnes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) from US energy companies, accounting for roughly 10% of India’s total LPG imports.

Implications for Energy Strategy

Reliance’s clarification highlights the ongoing recalibration of India’s energy procurement strategy amid sanctions, global price fluctuations, and geopolitical pressures. While the company has publicly committed to reducing reliance on Russian crude for exports, domestic sourcing from alternative producers appears to be continuing. The incident also underscores the challenges of accurate reporting in the fast-moving global energy market, where misreported shipments can generate significant media attention and political discourse.

By issuing the statement, Reliance has aimed to reassure stakeholders and the market that its operations remain compliant with its announced policies and that the Jamnagar refinery is not receiving Russian crude shipments at present.

The situation remains closely monitored by the Indian government, energy firms, and international observers, as fluctuations in Russian crude imports could have broader implications for India’s energy security and diplomatic relations.