Indian Oil Corp is purchasing “clean” Russian crude that does not violate US sanctions, chairman Arvindar Singh Sahney said on Tuesday as the country remains a key buyer of Moscow’s oil despite tightening Western restrictions.

India has emerged as the second-largest buyer of Russian crude since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with Russian oil now accounting for nearly 40 per cent of its total imports. Sahney said recent US sanctions would have little to no impact on India’s crude availability, as global supplies remain sufficient.

“The US has not sanctioned Rosneft, our primary supplier, and only 183 out of approximately 600 Russian tankers have been affected,” he said at the India Energy Week conference.

Washington’s latest sanctions, announced last month, targeted Russian oil producers Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, as well as a fleet of ships used to circumvent a $60-per-barrel price cap imposed by the Group of Seven (G7) nations.