‘Shadow fleet’: India imported 5.4 million tonnes of Russian oil, says CREA; Moscow relying on old tankers to dodge Western sanctions

India received 5.4 million tonnes of Russian oil worth 2.1 billion euros via 30 vessels operating under false flags between January and September 2025, a report reveals. This highlights Russia’s use of a growing ‘shadow fleet’ to bypass Western sanctions, with India being a major recipient of these oil shipments.