India has approached the US seeking an that permits certain imports of Russian crude oil, according to a Bloomberg report.
The request comes as the US-Iran continues to rattle global energy markets and raise concerns over fuel supply stability.
The waiver, and later expanded through an authorisation valid until May 16, allowed Indian refiners to continue receiving already-loaded Russian cargoes.
The arrangement was aimed in part at easing pressure on international oil prices by keeping additional crude supplies in circulation.
According to the Bloomberg report, Indian officials have conveyed to their US counterparts that ensuring uninterrupted energy access remains critical as the conflict in West Asia shows no signs of easing.
Although Russian oil exports are not under a blanket US ban, Washington has previously encouraged India to gradually reduce purchases of discounted Russian crude as part of broader pressure on Moscow over the Ukraine war.
Indian refiners, meanwhile, have significantly increased imports from Russia ahead of the current waiver deadline.
Data from commodity tracking firm Kpler showed that Indian purchases of Russian crude in May have reached record levels, with inflows averaging more than two million barrels per day so far this month.
There has been no official confirmation of the report from either the Indian or US governments.
In April, when the US extended the waiver, made during last week’s global finance meetings.
“I was approached by more than 10 of the most vulnerable and poorest countries in terms of energy, and they asked us to extend that sanction (waiver),” he had said at the time, adding that the extension was valid for only 30 days.
As of late April, India’s Russian crude imports remained elevated despite sanctions pressure and Gulf supply disruptions
Data shows that Indian refiners significantly increased purchases in recent months, with Russian oil shipments reaching record levels earlier this year.
In March, imports surged to around 2.25 million barrels per day, nearly double the levels seen in February. Russian crude has accounted for roughly half of India’s total oil imports during this period.
India has emerged as one of the largest buyers of Russian crude since 2022 and is currently the second-largest importer after China.
is also the biggest purchaser of Russia’s flagship Urals grade, a key revenue stream for Moscow as it navigates Western sanctions.