Paradip/New Delhi, Apr 14 (BNP): In a significant development for India’s energy sector, Iranian crude oil has resumed flows to the country after a gap of nearly seven years, amid temporary easing of US sanctions and tightening global supply conditions.
A very large crude carrier (VLCC), MT JAYA, carrying around 2 million barrels of crude from Kharg Island, docked at Paradip Port on April 9, marking the first such delivery since 2019 when sanctions halted trade.
According to port authorities, the vessel delivered approximately 277,321 metric tonnes of crude oil to the Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) refinery at Paradip. Officials described the arrival as a step that further strengthens the port’s role as a key gateway for India’s energy imports.
Adding to the development, another VLCC, Felicity, also carrying nearly 2 million barrels of Iranian crude, is currently anchored near Sikka, taking the total recent inflow to about 4 million barrels.
While it remains unclear which refiners have procured the cargoes, industry sources note that IOCL operates the Paradip refinery, while Reliance Industries Limited and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited receive crude at Sikka.
The resumption of Iranian oil supplies comes at a time of heightened global energy volatility and reflects shifting trade dynamics, as countries seek to secure stable crude sources amid geopolitical uncertainties.
