India's crude oil imports from the Middle East surged to approximately 3 million barrels per day in September, marking a return to pre-conflict levels disrupted by recent tensions in the region, according to the latest shipping data. This increase reflects a recovery following the spike in volatility after the outbreak of the US-Israeli conflict involving Iran, which had previously unsettled global fuel supplies.
Data from trade intelligence firm Kpler showed that oil volumes passing through the Strait of Hormuz averaged about 1.3 million barrels daily in September, the highest monthly figure recorded since February before hostilities escalated. Overall, India’s total crude oil imports from the Middle East, including shipments routed via the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia, reached between 2.7 and 3 million barrels per day.
Key suppliers contributing to the uptick included Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, all of which saw notable increases compared to August. India imported roughly 575,000 barrels per day from Iraq, marking a rise of over 250 percent from the previous month. Saudi Arabia supplied about 566,000 barrels per day, reflecting an increase of approximately 63 percent, while imports from Kuwait reached around 331,000 barrels per day.
Industry observers noted that despite exploring alternate sources, India continues to depend heavily on Gulf crude for logistical and operational reasons. Madhu Nainan, a senior correspondent at Indian oil and gas publication Petrowatch, explained that the Gulf region remains the most convenient crude source for India’s refining infrastructure. Indian refineries have historically been configured to process Gulf crude, which allows for efficient operations.
Nainan highlighted the strategic advantage of proximity, stating that tankers from the Gulf typically take six to seven days to deliver crude oil to India, compared with at least a month for shipments coming from the United States or Russia. He also pointed out that Russian crude tends to be more costly and equally time-consuming to transport.
Given these factors, Nainan emphasized that sourcing crude oil from the Middle East—including Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—continues to make economic and logistical sense for India, underscoring the country’s reliance on Gulf oil despite geopolitical uncertainties in the region.