India's crude oil imports from Russia surged to a six-month high in November 2025, both in volume and value, reflecting the nation's continued reliance on discounted Russian supplies. During this month, India imported 7.7 million tonnes of Russian crude, which accounted for a substantial 35.1% of its total oil imports and was the highest volume recorded since May 2025. In monetary terms, these imports were valued at approximately $3.7 billion. Simultaneously, India significantly increased its purchases of American crude, with imports from the United States climbing to a seven-month peak of nearly 2.8 million tonnes, valued at $1.4 billion. This boosted the U.S. share in India's oil basket to 12.6%. The dual increase highlights India's strategic effort to balance its energy security and diplomatic relations amidst geopolitical tensions and U.S. pressure over its Russian oil procurement. This surge in November 2025 was partly attributed to Indian refiners expediting purchases ahead of a November 21, 2025, deadline for new U.S. sanctions targeting major Russian oil producers like Rosneft and Lukoil. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) noted that India remained the second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels after China in November. However, the landscape is evolving; recent reports indicate that Russian oil imports are expected to decline in subsequent months, with some major refiners like Reliance Industries anticipating no Russian crude deliveries in January 2026. This shift is largely due to increased scrutiny from banks following the latest U.S. sanctions, prompting Indian state refiners to exercise extreme caution and explore alternative suppliers. Despite these anticipated declines, Russia remained India's biggest supplier between April and November 2025.