India’s Natural Gas Imports from Russia: A Minor but Growing Trade.

~Sumon Mukhopadhyay 

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India imports natural gas from Russia, mainly as liquefied natural gas (LNG). But the volumes are modest compared to India’s overall gas imports or its massive crude oil purchases from Moscow. 

The trade has existed for years and picked up slightly after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, driven by discounted cargoes and India’s rising energy demand. Here’s the picture up to mid-2025.

Historical Context and Current Volumes:

🔹Pre-2022 Baseline: India’s gas ties with Russia go back to 2011, when state-owned GAIL signed a 20-year deal with Gazprom for up to 2.5 million tonnes of LNG annually. Actual imports, however, have stayed well below capacity—averaging under 1 million tonnes per year. By 2021, India accounted for just 0.2% of Russia’s total gas exports.

🔹Post-Invasion Trends (2022–2025): India meets nearly half its gas needs through imports, but Russia supplies only a sliver. Most LNG comes from Qatar and the UAE. 

Russian LNG shipments to India rose modestly in 2022 as Western sanctions redirected discounted cargoes eastward. Even by 2024, imports remained below 1 million tonnes—dwarfed by the EU’s 17.8 million tonnes and China’s 8.3 million tonnes.

Data from CREA shows that in 2025 Russian LNG isn’t even broken out separately in India’s import reports, with crude oil dominating at 78% of the €3.6 billion August total. LNG remains firmly niche.

Why the Trade Persists (and Why It’s Limited)? 

🔹Economic Incentives: Russia offers LNG at a discount, which fits India’s strategy of sourcing cheap energy to power 7%+ GDP growth. In November 2024, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri underlined that India is “open for cooperation with all countries… including Russia,” reflecting a demand-driven approach.

🔹Geopolitical and Logistical Factors: Crude oil flows easily by sea, but Russian gas relies on LNG shipments since pipelines aren’t feasible. U.S. sanctions in early 2025 complicated supply chains, though gas remains unsanctioned by the EU. India also softened its stance on sanctioned Arctic LNG projects in 2025, hinting at room for growth if prices remain attractive.

🔹Future Potential: Cooperation is expanding. Russia was an official partner at the 9th LNG India Summit in September 2025, with discussions on infrastructure, city gas networks, and low-carbon fuels. Bilateral meetings in early 2025 explored larger deals, and with India’s gas demand expected to double by 2030, Russian volumes could rise—especially if GAIL’s underused Gazprom contract is tapped fully.

Broader Implications:

India’s gas imports from Russia are still a footnote compared to oil—where Russia supplies about 40% of India’s crude, worth $52.7 billion in 2024–25. Yet the LNG trade reflects New Delhi’s broader energy diplomacy: secure affordable supplies, stay flexible on geopolitics, and balance ties with multiple partners. For Moscow, Asian markets like India and China remain vital as Europe scales back.

In short: India does import Russian LNG, but volumes remain tiny (likely under 1% of its total gas demand). Still, the door is open for growth. For accurate tracking, sources like CREA or Vortexa remain the best reference as flows shift with sanctions and global price swings.