India has refused to purchase Russian liquefied natural gas subject to U.S. sanctions, Reuters reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter. The decision comes amid growing tension on global energy markets caused by the conflict in the Middle East and disruptions to fuel supplies.
According to the agency, New Delhi informed the Russian side of its position on April 30 during a visit to India by Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin. Reuters sources say he plans to return to the country in June to continue negotiations.
As Reuters notes, the refusal came after a tanker carrying Russian LNG had already headed toward India. The vessel in question is the Kunpeng, whose cargo is not identified in documents as Russian. However, the tanker departed from a Russian port in the Baltic Sea, while the crew listed one of India’s ports as its destination. According to Reuters data as of May 11, the vessel was near Singapore and was no longer disclosing its дальнейший маршрут.
India remains one of the world’s largest energy importers and continues to buy Russian oil actively. Earlier, the United States temporarily eased restrictions on its import in an attempt to reduce pressure on global markets after prices surged following the halt of transit through the Strait of Hormuz.