Imposing a complete ban on Russia could prove to be risky for the Trump administration. India started buying large quantities of oil from Russia from 2022 only after sanctions were imposed on Russia by Europe.

India has opted not to direct its oil refiners to cease purchasing Russian oil, as officials carefully navigate the complexities of energy demands alongside diplomatic relations with US. While refiners have the flexibility to procure from preferred suppliers,

Vadinar is owned by Nayara Energy, whose largest shareholder is state-controlled Russian energy company Rosneft, which took a 49% stake in Nayara in 2016. Rosneft and its CEO, Igor Sechin, were sanctioned by the UK in 2022 and the company has also been sanctioned by the US.