India's Energy Security and Import Diversification Strategy

India is the world's third-largest crude oil consumer and importer, depending on imports for over 85% of its oil needs. Historically, over 60% of India's crude oil came from Middle Eastern countries. This changed dramatically after 2022, when Russian crude's share rose from approximately 1-2% to 36% by 2024, while Persian Gulf countries' share declined from 63% to 46%. India's diversification strategy involves maintaining multiple supply sources (Russia, Middle East, Africa, Americas) to avoid over-dependence on any single region. The Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Limited (ISPRL) maintains reserves at three locations -- Visakhapatnam, Mangalore, and Padur -- providing a limited buffer of approximately 9.5 days of imports.