India’s Russian oil import dip temporary: Kremlin

India’s imports of Russian oil may decline for only “a brief period” as Moscow plans to boost supplies, using sophisticated technology to avert the impact of Western sanctions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

- Reuters

His remarks came ahead of President Vladimir Putin's two-day visit to New Delhi from Thursday, looking to restore defence and energy ties as the South Asian nation is set to trim its Russian oil purchases this month to at least a three-year low. Russia’s top buyer of seaborne oil, India has cut crude imports from Moscow under pressure from Western sanctions, particularly by Washington on Moscow’s top oil producers Rosneft and Lukoil.