A Russian oil tanker that was initially headed to China has abruptly changed course and is now sailing toward India, reflecting New Delhi’s renewed push to increase crude imports from Moscow.
The vessel, Aqua Titan, is expected to arrive at New Mangalore on March 21, carrying Urals crude loaded from a Baltic Sea port in late January. According to ship-tracking data, the Aframax tanker had originally listed Rizhao, China, as its destination before reversing direction in Southeast Asian waters in mid-March.
This shift comes shortly after the United States allowed India to temporarily ramp up purchases of Russian oil. Following this move, Indian refiners secured nearly 30 million barrels of Russian crude within a week, aiming to offset supply disruptions from the Middle East amid the ongoing Iran conflict.
The trend is not limited to a single shipment. Data from Vortexa indicates that at least seven tankers carrying Russian oil have diverted their routes from China to India mid-voyage. All major Indian refiners are now actively sourcing Russian crude again.
Meanwhile, another tanker, Zouzou N., is also redirecting toward India. The Suezmax vessel, carrying Kazakhstan’s CPC Blend crude, is now expected to reach Sikka by March 25 after initially heading toward Chinese waters.
With more countries, including Japan and South Korea, resuming Russian oil imports, global demand dynamics are shifting once again—potentially driving prices higher in the coming weeks.
