India remained the world's second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels in May 2026, importing an estimated $6.7 billion worth of Russian hydrocarbons as domestic refiners stepped up crude purchases, according to a report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a European think tank. Total Indian crude import volumes rose 8% month-on-month, driven in part by a 21% increase in Russian purchases, with major refining hubs including Vadinar and Jamnagar (both in Gujarat, western India) recording significant volume jumps, and the Paradip refinery (on Odisha's east coast) unloading its highest volumes of Russian crude in two years. Indian refiners have sharply expanded purchases of discounted Russian oil since Western sanctions reshaped global energy flows following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and the latest data suggests Russia continues to supply roughly 36% of India's crude imports, even as New Delhi also diversifies supplies from the Middle East, Africa, and the United States.