Reliance Industries has announced that its Jamnagar refinery, recognized as the largest in the world, is projected to not receive any oil shipments from Russia in January 2026. Furthermore, the company reported that there have not been any deliveries of Russian oil to the refinery in the preceding three weeks.
This statement follows the company’s announcement on November 20, 2025, regarding the suspension of Russian oil imports intended for its export-oriented Special Economic Zone unit located in Jamnagar.
The company issued a statement addressing a recent news report which claimed that shipments of Russian oil were nearing the Jamnagar refinery. In its response, the company sought to clarify the situation surrounding these shipments and potentially refuted any implications made in the report regarding the source of the oil or its arrival at the facility. The statement likely aimed to ensure transparency and maintain trust among stakeholders amidst speculation about the refinery’s operations and the geopolitical context of Russian oil imports.
Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery has not received any Russian oil cargo in the last three weeks and does not anticipate receiving any shipments in January. Previously, Reliance and Nayara Energy were the largest importers of Russian oil in India. However, Nayara, which is partly owned by Russia’s Rosneft, faced European Union and United Kingdom sanctions, prompting a significant reduction in its Russian oil imports.
The matter of India’s imports of Russian oil is notably contentious, primarily due to the 25% penalty tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump in August 2025 on imports from India, stemming from these oil purchases.
In November 2025, India increased its Russian oil imports to 7.7 million tonnes, marking a six-month high and raising Russia’s share in India’s oil import basket to 35.1%. This data contrasts with claims made by U.S. President Donald Trump on January 4, 2026, who asserted that India had reduced its imports from Russia to appease the U.S. for a potential trade deal. Trump also warned of possible swift tariffs if India persisted in its Russian oil purchases.
