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Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz

India's crude imports hit a 2026 high in September as Gulf oil returns despite Hormuz risks

2 Oct 2026 · 3 outlets · 1 min read

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In 30 seconds
  1. Six Gulf producers supplied 39% of India's crude in September; Iraq sent 525,000 barrels a day.
  2. Russian crude fell to 1.9 million barrels a day from 2.8 million in July, The Times of India reported.
  3. West Asia supplied over 60% of India's LPG (cooking gas) imports in September, per the same report.

India imported 5.26 million barrels of crude a day in September 2026, its highest this year, data from analytics firm Kpler showed, The Economic Times reported on 2 October. Iraq became India's second-biggest supplier after Russia for the first time since the war began. Tankers are crossing Hormuz with their tracking transponders switched off and moving cargo to other ships in UAE and Omani waters, ET reported.

What it means for India

More Gulf crude gives Indian refiners options if they cut Russian oil after the US passed a law threatening tariffs on Russian oil buyers. Gulf supplies of cooking gas also matter for Indian households.

Checked

Claim by claim

✓Verified

India's crude imports reached 5.26 million barrels a day in September 2026.

Kpler data reported by The Economic Times. The Times of India reported a different Kpler-based figure of 5.4 million barrels a day, likely due to different data cuts.

The Economic Times
✓Verified

Iraq was India's second-largest crude supplier in September, behind Russia.

Reported by The Economic Times from Kpler data; BusinessLine reported Iraqi shipments more than doubled month on month.

The Economic Times · The Hindu BusinessLine
✓Verified

Tankers are crossing Hormuz with their AIS tracking transponders switched off and transferring cargo ship-to-ship.

Reported by The Economic Times; the number of such crossings is not independently confirmed in our sources.

The Economic Times
Honest gaps

Not yet known

  • ?Whether Gulf flows hold up if attacks on tankers near Hormuz increase.
Who reported this

Sources

Centre · 3

3 outlets across the spectrum. Leanings are a rough guide to who reported it, not a verdict on accuracy.

  1. The Economic TimesIndia's crude imports hit 2026 high in September as Gulf supplies surge despite Hormuz risks
  2. The Times of IndiaEnergy imports from West Asia at highest level since onset of conflict
  3. The Hindu BusinessLineIraq crude shipments to India rebound as Russian crude shipments decline

Spasht writes original summaries. Follow the links to read each outlet's own report. Revision 1.