India's US crude oil imports surge 51 per cent following Trump's return to office: Sources

By Reena Bhardwaj

Washington DC [US], August 3 : India has dramatically increased its crude oil imports from the United States since President Donald Trump returned to the White House for his second term, according to sources familiar with the trade data.

The surge represents a significant shift in India's energy procurement strategy, with imports jumping by more than half compared to the previous year.

Government sources revealed the scale of the increase in bilateral energy trade between the world's largest democracy and the US.

"From January to June 25, India increased its imports of US average crude supplies by 51 per cent compared to the same period last year. (From .271 mb/d in January to June 2025 as compared to 0.18 mb/d in the same period last year)."

The trend has been particularly pronounced in recent months, with the April-June 2025 quarter showing an even steeper rise of 114% compared to the same period in 2024. The financial value of these imports has more than doubled, climbing from $1.73bn in the first quarter of 2024-25 to $3.7bn in the corresponding period of 2025-26.

The momentum appears to be accelerating, with sources indicating the upward trajectory has continued through the summer months.

"So, in July 2025, India imported 23 per cent more crude oil from the US compared to June 2025. In India's overall crude imports, while the US share was only 3 per cent, it increased to 8 per cent in July. Furthermore, in the financial year (2025-2026), Indian companies would increase their crude oil import by 150 per cent", sources say.

The increased trade extends beyond crude oil to other energy products. India's imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from America have also risen sharply.

LNG imports reached $2.46bn in the 2024-25 financial year, nearly doubling from $1.41bn the previous year - an increase of almost 100%.

Sources suggest this is just the beginning, with discussions underway for a major long-term LNG contract worth tens of billions of dollars.

The energy trade surge comes as both countries express optimism about their broader relationship. On Friday, India's foreign ministry signalled confidence that bilateral ties would continue strengthening despite global uncertainties.

Speaking at a regular press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised the resilience of the partnership between New Delhi and Washington.

"India and the United States share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties. This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges. We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward," he said.

The comments reflect India's approach of maintaining stable diplomatic and economic relations regardless of political changes in Washington, with energy cooperation emerging as a key pillar of the bilateral relationship.

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