Trump sanction fallout: HMEL halts Russian oil imports after new US curbs; denies blacklisted ship-use reports – The Times of India

HMEL, a joint venture between Lakshmi Mittal and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), announced on Wednesday that it has suspended imports of Russian crude oil following new Western restrictions on Moscow’s energy trade. In a statement, the Bathinda-based refinery said the suspension would remain in place “pending receipt of any outstanding orders” and cited “new restrictions on crude oil imports from Russia by the United States, European Union and the United Kingdom,” reported Economic Times.HMEL clarified that it could not verify a Financial Times report alleging that its earlier shipments had arrived on vessels linked to Western sanctions. The company emphasised that it buys crude on a “delivered-at-port” basis — meaning sellers handle the shipping — and therefore has “no visibility over intermediate vessels” or any attempts to disguise their locations during transfers. The refinery, which has a capacity of 11 million tonnes per annum, is jointly owned by HPCL and the Mittal Group (49 per cent each), with financial institutions holding the remaining stake. According to the FT, HMEL received around $280 million worth of Russian crude between July and September using vessels blacklisted by the US, while the final shipment was made by Samadha — a tanker under EU sanctions but not on the US list. HMEL said Samadha “was not under US sanctions at the time of delivery” and reiterated that “all transactions undergo extensive due diligence, including counterparty KYC, sanctions screening and vessel history checks.” The move comes amid heightened scrutiny of India’s Russian oil imports after Washington imposed fresh sanctions last week on major producers Rosneft and Lukoil. Other Indian refiners, including Indian Oil Corporation and Reliance Industries, have also indicated that they are reviewing compliance protocols to ensure adherence to international sanctions.