India surpasses China to become Russia's top oil buyer in July

In July, India surpassed China as the largest importer of Russian oil, with imports reaching a record 2.07 million barrels per day (bpd), or 44% of India's total oil imports. This increase was driven by discounted Russian crude following Western sanctions against Russia. In contrast, China imported 1.76 million bpd from Russia due to lower profit margins for Chinese refiners. India's growing demand for Russian oil is reshaping global trade flows, as traditional buyers like China reduce their purchases.