Russia offers natural gas to India, New Delhi declines due to U.S. sanctions: Report
New Delhi: India has turned down Russia’s offer to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its facilities subject to United States sanctions, despite growing concerns over energy supplies due to tensions in the Middle East, according to a report published by The Hindu, which cited two sources with direct knowledge of the matter. The decision has reportedly left a tanker bound for India in limbo as talks continue on permitted cargoes.
The report said India conveyed its decision during the April 30 visit of Pavel Sorokin, who held discussions with Indian officials, including Hardeep Singh Puri.
According to the sources quoted in the report, India is attempting to strike a balance between securing its energy requirements and avoiding LNG cargoes that are subject to U.S. sanctions, which are considered difficult to conceal and carry significant compliance risks.
The decision has reportedly left a cargo from Russia’s Portovaya LNG Plant unable to discharge in India. The 138,200-cubic metre tanker Kunpeng had indicated the Dahej LNG Terminal as its destination in mid-April, but is currently near Singapore with no destination listed, according to shipping data cited in the report.
The Hindu reported that although documentation accompanying the shipment suggested the cargo was non-Russian, the vessel was tracked and identified as carrying gas from the U.S.-sanctioned Portovaya plant.
India remains the largest buyer of Russian seaborne crude oil, and such imports have continued. However, the report noted that LNG cargoes are much more difficult to disguise than crude shipments, which can sometimes be transferred between vessels at sea.
Another Russian export project under U.S. sanctions is Arctic LNG 2. Washington expanded sanctions on these LNG facilities in early 2025 in connection with Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The report said India is open to purchasing authorised Russian LNG, but most available volumes are already committed to European buyers. China continues to be a major buyer of both sanctioned and unsanctioned Russian LNG, according to one of the sources.
Russia is also reportedly pursuing long-term agreements with India for LNG supplies as well as fertilisers such as potash, phosphorus and urea.
Before the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, India met around half of its natural gas requirements through imports, with about 60 per cent of those supplies transiting through the waterway. More than half of India’s crude oil imports also passed through the same route.
Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 10 urged citizens to conserve fuel and foreign exchange by working from home, limiting foreign travel, and reducing imports of gold and edible oil.
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One dead due to electrocution on 'Jailer 2' movie set in Chennai
Chennai (PTI): A 28-year-old worker died of electrocution on the sets of the upcoming Tamil film 'Jailer 2', starring Superstar Rajinikanth, at a private film studio here, police said.
The deceased has been identified as Karthikeyan.
The incident occurred at the venue in Panaiyur. According to preliminary reports, Karthikeyan suffered a fatal electric shock while engaging in art direction work, erecting a house-like set for the movie's shooting, police said
Kanathur police said FIR is yet to be filed, but further investigations are underway to determine the circumstances that led to the electrical leak.
