India imported six times as much Russian coal in the 20 days leading up to Wednesday as it did in the same period last year, Reuters reported on Saturday. During that same timeframe, New Delhi’s imports of Russian oil increased by a factor of more than 31. This increase comes despite the US urging India not to increase its purchases of Russian resources.
The latest figures mark the continuation of a trend underway since Western nations cut themselves off Russian fossil fuels in the wake of Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine. While the US and UK suspended Russian oil and gas imports and the EU announced a phased ban on Russian coal and an eventual withdrawal from Russian oil, Russia became India’s second-largest crude oil supplier in May, edging out Saudi Arabia.
India’s sixfold increase in coal imports brings its trade volume with Russia to $331.17 million, Reuters said, citing unpublished Indian government data. The more than 31-fold increase in oil imports amounts to a trade volume of $2.22 billion, according to the same data.