India becomes Ukraine's biggest diesel supplier, as Trump wages tariff war on New Delhi over Russian oil

India, as per a new analysis, has emerged as war-torn Ukraine's largest supplier of diesel in July 2025, accounting for 15.5 per cent of total imports. Data from NaftoRynok, a Kyiv-based oil market analytics firm, shows Indian shipments averaged 2,700 tonnes a day or 15.5 per cent of Kyiv's monthly imports — one of New Delhi's highest monthly export volumes this year. This means that in July 2025, India supplied 83,000 tonnes of diesel to Ukraine. This marks a sharp rise from July 2024, when India's share was barely 1.9 per cent. The current levels are comparable only to April 2025, when India supplied 15.9 per cent of Ukraine’s diesel imports.

Irony amid US-India tensions

The surge comes at a politically sensitive time. Recently, Washington slapped 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, citing New Delhi's continued purchases of discounted Russian crude. The US claims that this purchase is "funding" Russia's war on Ukraine. Yet in a twist of irony, the same Indian refineries processing Russian oil are now providing Ukraine with much-needed fuel to sustain its war economy.

How the fuel gets there

According to NaftoRynok, the Indian-origin diesel reaches Ukraine through several channels. A large share is shipped via Romania and enters through ports on the Danube. Another route uses Turkey's Marmara Ereğlisi terminal operated by OPET, which remains active despite partial sanctions.

Between January and July this year, India supplied 10.2 per cent of Ukraine's diesel imports — up from just 1.9 per cent in the same period last year. This fivefold increase has pushed India past several European exporters in proportional terms, though its physical volumes are still smaller than Greece and Turkey. July's numbers, however, placed India firmly at the top of the chart by share.

While India led the import table in July, other suppliers remain key. Slovakia delivered larger volumes than both Greece and Turkey. Diesel from Poland and Lithuania's Orlen Group together made up about 20 per cent of imports. Swedish fuel from Preem's facilities, routed through Poland and Denmark, also reached record levels since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, accounting for 4 per cent of Ukraine's July supply.