Govt Confirms Purchase of Iranian Crude by Indian Refiners, Refutes Reports of Vessel Being Diverted to China

the Aframax tanker Ping Shun, built in 2002 and sanctioned by the US in 2025, had earlier indicated Vadinar in Gujarat as its destination but according to ship-tracking firm Kpler, the vessel was signalling Dongying in China instead of Vadinar.

The Wire Staff

govt confirms purchase of iranian crude by indian refiners refutes reports of vessel being diverted to china

Representative image of an oil tanker. Photo: Mustang Joe/Flickr (Public domain).

New Delhi: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Saturday (April 4) said that Indian refiners have purchased crude oil from Iran amid the conflict in West Asia resulting from the US and Israel’s war on Iran.

The Ministry also refuted reports that a vessel was diverted to China due to payment related issues.

“Amid Middle East supply disruptions, Indian refiners have secured their crude oil requirements, including from Iran; and there is no payment hurdle for Iranian crude imports, contrary to the rumours being circulated,” the Ministry posted on X on Saturday.

The news reports and social media posts of an Iranian crude cargo being diverted from Vadinar, India to China due to “payment issues” are factually incorrect. 🇮🇳India imports crude oil from 40+ countries, with companies having full flexibility to source oil from different sources…
— Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas #MoPNG (@PetroleumMin) April 4, 2026

Earlier, Times of India had reported that a US-sanctioned tanker carrying Iranian crude oil was rerouted mid-voyage from India to China with payment-related issues being the main reason behind the change in destination.

TOI had reported that the Aframax tanker Ping Shun, built in 2002 and sanctioned by the US in 2025, had earlier indicated Vadinar in Gujarat as its destination but according to ship-tracking firm Kpler, the vessel was signalling Dongying in China instead of Vadinar.

“The news reports and social media posts of an Iranian crude cargo being diverted from Vadinar, India to China due to “payment issues” are factually incorrect. India imports crude oil from 40+ countries, with companies having full flexibility to source oil from different sources & geographies based on commercial considerations,” the Ministry posted on X on Saturday.

“Claims on vessel diversion ignore how oil trade works. Bills of Lading often carry indicative discharge ports destinations and on-sea cargoes can change destinations mid-voyage based on trade optimisation and operational flexibility,” it added.

This article went live on April fourth, two thousand twenty six, at one minutes past eight in the evening.

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