U.S. Grants 30-Day Permission for Indian Refineries to Offload Russian Oil as Iran War Disrupts Global Energy Flows
The United States has issued a temporary 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to receive Russian crude already stranded at sea. This move, Washington says, is meant to stabilize global energy supplies disrupted by the widening Iran war but it has also been drawing political criticism inside India over the language and implications of the decision.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the waiver was designed to ensure that oil continues flowing into global markets at a time when maritime disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and wider regional instability have tightened energy supply chains.
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| Petroleum Minister Puri appears prominently in Epstein Emails. File Photo: MEA |
The decision is reflected in U.S. Treasury General License 133, issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, which authorizes transactions necessary for the delivery or offloading of Russian-origin crude and petroleum products loaded on vessels before March 5, 2026, provided the cargo is delivered to Indian ports and purchased by entities registered in India. The authorization remains valid until April 4, 2026, after which the exemption expires unless extended.
The announcement comes at a moment when global oil markets are under severe pressure from the war between the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted shipping lanes and triggered attacks on vessels and energy infrastructure across the Gulf region.
Washington’s move indicate concerns that prolonged disruption around Hormuz could tighten oil supply just as multiple countries attempt to secure emergency shipments.
The decision has also triggered a sharp political response in India, where opposition leaders argued that the framing of the waiver raises questions about India’s energy autonomy.
The Indian National Congress said the language suggesting that the United States had “allowed” India to buy Russian oil was inappropriate for a sovereign country and accused the government of ceding strategic space in foreign policy.
Congress leaders also linked the issue to earlier warnings raised in parliament about India’s vulnerability to external pressure over energy purchases.
India has historically relied heavily on imported crude from multiple suppliers, including Russia and Gulf states, while maintaining strategic partnerships with the United States and Europe.
Officials in New Delhi have not yet issued a formal government response to "the waiver" announcement, or the tone of it, but the development shows that the widening Middle East conflict is beginning to intersect with global energy diplomacy, great-power competition and domestic political debate in one of the world’s largest oil-importing economies.
UPDATE: Minister Puri interacted with "members of the fourth estate" and said the country’s energy supplies remain secure despite the geopolitical turmoil affecting global oil markets. Puri said India has continued importing energy without disruption and stressed that the government’s priority is to ensure affordable and sustainable fuel for citizens. He added that there is no shortage of energy in the country and no cause for concern for Indian consumers, and suggested that New Delhi is confident about maintaining stable supplies even as global tensions affect oil trade routes and pricing.
Editor's Note: India's Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has been mentioned prominently in reporting related to the Epstein files due to his affectionate email exchanges with Jeffrey Epstein, convicted sex offender accused of abusing minors, which has raised suspicion over his credibility.
This was a developing news. Minister's comment has been added here.