Overview
- Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee’s CIA Subcommittee, said meetings in New Delhi with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval yielded early signals that refiners plan to scale back Russian oil purchases.
- Fitzpatrick’s statement was issued by his office and reported by Indian outlets via wire services, with no independent confirmation from the Indian government or the refiners.
- Industry reporting cited by Hindustan Times notes Reuters expects India’s Russian crude intake to rise in September, with Reliance and Rosneft-backed Nayara seen boosting buys by 150,000–300,000 barrels per day and Urals trading at a $3–$4 discount to Brent.
- The two-week delegation visited India, Pakistan, and Nepal, with Fitzpatrick’s office highlighting progress on counterterrorism coordination and new channels for intelligence transparency in Islamabad and operational oversight in Kathmandu.
- The push on oil sourcing comes after US tariffs of 50% on Indian imports took effect on August 27, including a 25% element tied to Russian crude purchases, which India has criticized as unjustified while emphasizing market-driven energy decisions.