Washington: In a major blow to Russia, China has temporarily halted imports of Russian crude oil, following India’s decision to do the same, after the United States imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies. Reports indicate that China’s leading state-owned firms — Sinopec, PetroChina, CNOOC, and Shenhua Oil — have suspended their crude oil contracts with Russia.
India, which had been importing an average of 1.6 million barrels of oil per day from Russia, reduced its purchases significantly in recent weeks. For the first nine months of 2025, India’s daily average stood at 1.9 million barrels. Meanwhile, China had been buying nearly 1.4 million barrels per day via sea routes.
With both India and China — Russia’s largest crude buyers — pausing their imports, the move is expected to deliver a major economic setback to Moscow.
The US sanctions target major Russian oil giants, including Rosneft and Lukoil, along with their subsidiaries. Following the sanctions and subsequent import suspensions, global crude prices have surged sharply.
The WTI crude price jumped 6.05% to reach USD 62.04 per barrel, while Brent crude rose 5.53% to USD 66.05 per barrel.
Analysts attribute the spike to fears that Russian oil supplies could face disruption and that India and China may now turn to alternative energy sources, tightening global supply.
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the seriousness of the sanctions, calling them “a significant challenge,” but insisted they would not cripple the Russian economy.
