India Reduces Russian Oil Imports Due to Increased Inspections, — Bloomberg

The regulatory filter was introduced as India seeks to push through a broader trade deal with the United States.

India expects to sharply reduce its imports of Russian oil this month to about 800,000 barrels per day. This is due to increased inspections at ports and banks to comply with Western restrictions, Bloomberg reports.

In recent weeks, Delhi has significantly strengthened compliance controls, from port inspections to bank monitoring of payments. In contrast, in November, India imported about 1.9 million barrels per day of Russian oil.

India’s tightening of controls is primarily an economic signal to Washington. In August, the United States imposed a 50% tariff on a number of Indian goods, including purchases of Russian oil.

Also this week, Indian officials announced increased port inspections of so-called shadow fleet vessels, and banks announced stricter control of payment transactions. The Ministry of Shipping has also updated the requirements for vessel calls. From now on, crews must provide expanded document packages – certificates of origin, flag registration data, and other supporting information.