Iranian oil returns to Indian shores after seven-year gap
Two VLCCs dock at Sikka and Paradip carrying 4 million barrels
image for illustrative purpose
New Delhi: Two supertankers carrying Iranian crude have arrived at Indian ports on the east and west coasts, marking the first such deliveries in nearly seven years, according to ship-tracking data.
Felicity, a very large crude carrier operated by the National Iranian Tanker Company, anchored off Sikka on Gujarat’s coast late Sunday with about 2 million barrels loaded at Kharg Island in mid-March.
Another tanker, Jaya, moored near Paradip on Odisha’s coast around the same time, carrying a similar volume lifted in late February, before the US and Israel launched military strikes against Iran. These are the first Iranian crude shipments to reach India since 2019, enabled by a one-month sanctions waiver issued by the United States last month. The exemption allows the sale of oil already in transit to ease global supply disruptions and stabilise prices. However, the window is narrow. Following the collapse of peace talks, Washington has announced a blockade of Iranian ports to restrict Tehran’s oil revenues.
The buyers of the current cargoes have not been fully disclosed. Indian Oil Corporation has confirmed purchasing at least one shipment at Paradip, while Sikka serves as a key crude hub for Reliance Industries and Bharat Petroleum Corporation.
Earlier, a tanker carrying Iranian crude had diverted to China due to payment issues, delaying any immediate resumption of supplies.
India was once a major importer of Iranian oil, with shipments accounting for over 11 per cent of total imports at their peak. Purchases stopped in May 2019 after US sanctions tightened.
The temporary resumption comes as India explores supply flexibility amid volatile global energy markets.
