Geopolitics of Energy Security: How the Russia-Ukraine War Reshaped India's Oil Diplomacy and Maritime Trade Routes

Abstract India’s oil diplomacy and maritime trade routes were influenced significantly as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine disrupted the international energy market in late February 2022. The war also caused Indian oil importers to have to adjust their supply chain arrangements because India is an oil importer which relies on foreign crude supplies for approximately 85% of its crude demand. The paper examines how the crisis changed India’s oil diplomacy and how it affected the maritime trade routes India has utilized in response to the surges and declines in crude oil imports from Russia after sanctions were imposed against Russia by western countries. The paper will analyze the fluctuation in crude oil imports from Russia, the shift in balance in Indian diplomacy as a result of pressure applied by western countries (the United States and European Union), India’s use of refining loopholes to enable the exportation of refined petroleum products back to Europe, and India’s utilization of new shipping routes such as the Eastern Maritime Corridor (Chennai – Vladivostok) and the Northern Sea Route to reduce reliance on traditional shipping lanes. Based on trade data available until December 2025, this analysis demonstrates that India pursued pragmatic energy security and strategic autonomy while achieving economic advantages through lower priced crude supplies; however, India increased its vulnerability to sanctions risk. Import volumes peaked at 40-42% of India’s total in 2023-2024, and declined 17-18% in terms of value in 2025 due to greater compliance with the sanctions. In addition, India demonstrated its ability to be resilient in the face of sanctions, by utilizing non-sanctioned suppliers. The development of maritime connectivity resulted in reduced vulnerabilities in the traditional chokepoints. Overall, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine highlighted the complexity of energy geopolitics in a multipolar world and provided implications for India’s strategy of diversifying its energy supplies and enhancing its long-term resilience.