In July, India overtook China in imports of Russian oil. Reuters explains this situation by a decrease in demand for Chinese refineries, as profits from the production of petroleum products decreased.

“Russian oil accounted for a record 44% of India’s total imports in July,” Reuters reports. According to the agency, citing sources in the country’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, supplies rose to a record 2.07 million barrels per day, which is 4.2% higher than in June.
The agency notes that oil exports from Russia to India exceeded supplies to China, which, according to Chinese customs data, fell to 1.76 million barrels per day — via pipelines and tankers.
“India’s need for Russian oil will grow until sanctions are further tightened,” a source in the Indian oil refining industry told the agency.