Monthly Russian Crude Progression: From $3.72 Billion in November to $2.71 Billion in December

India’s Russian crude oil imports experienced a dramatic month-on-month contraction, falling from $3.72 billion in November 2025 to $2.71 billion in December 2025, representing a sharp 35% decline. While US crude imports to India increased by 65.6% to $8.2 billion during April-December 2025, Russian crude imports fell by more than 17%, declining from $40 billion to $33.1 billion year-on-year.
The December 2025 import figure of $2.71 billion marked the lowest monthly Russian crude import value in the latter half of 2025. This represented not only a 15.15% decline compared to December 2024’s $3.2 billion, but more significantly, a steep drop from the previous month’s $3.72 billion. Russia became the only supplier among India’s top five to record both annual and monthly declines.
In contrast, India’s other major suppliers maintained or expanded their shipments. Saudi Arabia achieved remarkable growth of 61% year-on-year, delivering crude worth $1.75 billion in December 2025. The United States posted a 31% increase to $569.30 million. Iraq contributed $2.37 billion, up 4.56%, while the UAE supplied $1.65 billion, reflecting a 6% annual rise.
The steep monthly decline appears linked to the growing impact of US trade policy. The 25% punitive tariff on Indian goods, imposed on August 27, 2025, was designed to discourage purchases of sanctioned Russian petroleum. The policy’s effectiveness became increasingly apparent through the final months of 2025, culminating in December’s sharp contraction.
India’s comprehensive crude oil imports from all sources totaled $11.29 billion in December 2025, up 9.1% from $10.34 billion in December 2024. For the April-December 2025 period, aggregate imports reached $105.10 billion, compared to $109.33 billion in the corresponding period of 2024. Officials maintain that ensuring energy security for 1.4 billion citizens drives all procurement strategies.