Middle East conflict: Russia offers to fulfil India's energy needs as Iran shuts Hormuz Strait; will Delhi say 'yes'?

Russia on Monday said it is prepared to step in and meet India’s full energy demand if extended disruptions affect the country’s oil and gas supplies, according to PTI.

The development comes as tensions escalate in West Asia days after the US and Israel launched strikes in Iran, targeting the latter's military and naval forces and prompting retaliation from Tehran.

"We are ready to fulfil the demands of India's energy needs in case of continued disruption of energy supplies," an official from the Embassy of the Russian Federation said. The statement assumes added significance after QatarEnergy halted LNG and related output on 2 March in the wake of an Iranian drone attack on key facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City and Mesaieed Industrial City.

India's energy supply concerns heightened further when Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, an arterial waterway located between Oman and Iran. According to Kpler, nearly 13 million barrels of oil per day passed through the Strait, accounting for 31% of all seaborne crude flows. India relies heavily on West Asia for much of its crude oil and LNG, though it has broadened its supplier base in recent years, increasing purchases from Russia.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Monday said India has adequate crude reserves and sufficient stocks of essential fuels, including petrol, diesel, and aviation turbine fuel (ATF), to manage any short-term supply disruptions linked to the regional tensions. The ministry added, “India has ensured both availability and affordability of energy for its population by diversifying its sources. Indian energy companies now have access to energy supplies that are not routed through the Strait of Hormuz.”

According to a Bloomberg report, should the crisis drag on and continue to curb flows, the government could consider curbing fuel exports to secure enough supply for domestic consumers, the people said. It can prioritize household gas and piped supplies, potentially directing industrial users to switch fuels.

However, India had to reportedly agree to stop purchasing the oil from Moscow in order to sign a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the US. US President Donald Trump announced sweeping "Liberation Day" tariffs last year and imposed 50% tariffs on India, making it one of the highest-tariff countries. Of the 50%, Trump imposed 25% as a penalty for India's continued purchase of Russian oil, accusing New Delhi of funding Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.

In a bilateral deal that was agreed in February 2026, Trump announced that New Delhi would now purchase more of Venezuela's oil.

Since then, India has kept Russian oil purchases to a minimum, and in February loaded just over one million barrels per day, roughly half of the amount imported at the peak, and the lowest level since September 2022. Much of that shortfall has been filled with Middle Eastern barrels.

However, it remains to be seen if India will be compelled to go back to Russian oil imports to meet the country's demand or if Tehran will open up the Strait of Hormuz?