India imported 4.3% less crude oil in April this year, yet the bill still doubled as prices soar

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 India’s oil-marketing companies paid $16.3 cardinal  for their imports successful  April this twelvemonth  arsenic  compared to $10.7 cardinal  they had paid successful  the aforesaid  period  past  year. File photograph  for representational purposes only.

 India’s oil-marketing companies paid $16.3 cardinal for their imports successful April this twelvemonth arsenic compared to $10.7 cardinal they had paid successful the aforesaid period past year. File photograph for representational purposes only. | Photo Credit: Reuters

The volume of India’s imports of crude lipid fell 4.3% successful April 2026, the 2nd period aft the commencement of the struggle successful West Asia, portion the worth soared astir 50% implicit the comparable play past year, according to provisional authorities data, an denotation of the terms unit connected crude lipid and earthy state owed to the continuing closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Notably, the latest information from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), the measurement of imports of liquified earthy state (LNG) declined astir 30% successful April 2026, adjacent though home nett accumulation of earthy state fell 4.2% during the month. This was, however, owed to little consumption.

Overall, the nett import measure for lipid and gas, which is inclusive of definite deductions from India’s export of petroleum products, grew astir 23% to $13.9 cardinal successful April.

Imports of crude lipid down, measure soars

The PPAC information shows that India imported 20.1 MMT of crude lipid successful April this year, arsenic compared to 21 MMT successful the comparable play past year.

However, India’s oil-marketing companies paid $16.3 cardinal for their imports successful April this twelvemonth arsenic compared to $10.7 cardinal they had paid successful the aforesaid period past year.

The informing signs successful India’s import bill

Natural gas, LPG depletion diminution from past year

Further, income of liquified petroleum state (LPG) by PSUs, including domestic, car LPG and non-domestic LPG, besides dipped 12.7% connected a year-on-year ground to astir 2.2 cardinal metric tonnes (MMT). During the conflict, the authorities has allocated commercialized constitution 70% of the LPG they were utilizing earlier the crisis.

As for earthy gas, the state consumed 4,703 MMSCM of earthy state successful April this year, which was 16.7% little than corresponding play past year.

LNG imports, nett accumulation besides slows

Likely arsenic a effect of this little consumption, India imported 1,954 cardinal modular cubic metres (MMSCM) of LNG successful April this twelvemonth down from 2,778 MMSCM successful the aforesaid period of past year. In worth terms, the LNG import measure fell one-fourth from $1.2 cardinal to $0.9 cardinal during the reported period.

India’s import dependency connected earthy state declined to 41.6% successful April this twelvemonth from 49.2% successful aforesaid period past year.

The nett accumulation of earthy gas, which accounts for the quantum mislaid owed to flaring and for different reasons, dipped 4.2% connected a year-on-year ground to 2,749 MMSCM.

Published - May 21, 2026 01:57 p.m. IST

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