By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – US administration on Monday has urged India to take over 100 million barrels of Russian crude currently waiting offshore for Chinese refineries, as Washington looks for ways to cool oil prices unsettled by the ongoing Iran conflict.
Washington has suggested India consider taking Russian crude cargoes currently waiting offshore for Chinese refineries as markets react to disruptions in Middle East shipping routes, media reported.
The request, revealed by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, is part of a short-term effort by the Trump administration to calm global energy markets that have been rattled by tensions in the Middle East and disruptions to shipping routes.
Wright said Washington had directly approached New Delhi over the matter.
“I did call up the Indians, as did Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and say, look, there’s a whole bunch of oil that’s floating to wait to unload at Chinese refineries,” Wright said.
According to him, over 100 million barrels of Russian crude are currently being held offshore as tankers wait for their turn to unload cargo at Chinese ports.
Wright said the idea was to redirect those shipments to Indian refineries rather than leaving them idle at sea while awaiting unloading slots in China.
“Instead of having it wait six weeks to unload there, let’s just pull that oil forward, have it land at Indian refineries and tamp this fear of shortage of oil, tamp the price spikes and the concerns we see in the marketplace,” he said.
He described the proposal as a practical, short-term measure designed to steady global oil markets as geopolitical tensions affect energy supply chains.
“It’s just a pragmatic effort that has a short time span,” Wright added.
No change in US policy toward Russia, says Washington
Wright clarified that the suggestion does not signal any change in Washington’s stance on Russia.
“It is not. The United States’ policy towards Russia has not changed at all,” he said when asked whether the move contradicted efforts to reduce reliance on Russian oil.
He also stressed that global oil supplies remain adequate and that recent price spikes are largely being driven by market anxiety rather than a genuine shortage of fuel.
“The world is very well supplied with oil right now,” Wright said. “You’re seeing a little bit of fear premium in the marketplace. But the world is not short of oil today or natural gas.”
The tensions surrounding Iran have disrupted tanker movements through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy transit routes.
Wright said shipping activity in the channel has begun to pick up again but remains well below normal levels.
“We’re nowhere near normal traffic right now. And that’ll take some time,” he said, adding that the disruption is likely to last weeks rather than months.
