India has refused to purchase liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia, which is subject to US sanctions, despite its own fuel shortages due to the war in the Middle East.
This was reported by Reuters, citing two informed sources.
According to the agency, the Kunpeng tanker carrying Russian LNG set off for western India in mid-April. But now the vessel is near Singapore, and its destination is unknown.
The gas was loaded onto the tanker Kunpeng at the “Gazprom” LNG-Portova terminal in the Baltic Sea, which is under US sanctions.
The Indian authorities informed the Russian Deputy Minister of Energy Pavel Sorokin about the refusal to purchase Russian LNG during his visit to the country on April 30. Sorokin, according to the agencyʼs sources, plans to visit India in June for a new round of negotiations.
In addition to LNG, Russia is also seeking long-term deals to supply fertilizers, including phosphorus and urea, to India.
How India buys oil and gas from Russia
India is one of the worldʼs largest energy importers. The country is a major buyer of Russian oil and gas. From February 2022 to January 2026, total imports from Russia reached approximately €144 billion.
In August 2025, the US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on imports from India for its purchase of oil from Russia.
On February 2, after a conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Donald Trump reported that the latter had agreed to stop buying Russian oil, and on February 7, the US leader abolished tariffs on goods from India.
However, after the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East in late February , oil and gas prices jumped sharply due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, the US Treasury Department allowed India to buy Russian oil for 30 days. And in March, Indian ports again began to accept tankers with Russian Urals oil.
At the end of March, Reuters reported that India and Russia were preparing to resume supplies of Russian LNG for the first time since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine.
On April 18, the US extended the license to ease sanctions against Russian oil until May 16, despite previous statements that this would not happen.
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