Originally Posted by
dead_pan
India is buying at a considerable discount to the going rate (I've read $30). And don't forget Europe is still buying Russian gas, so we're not exactly whiter than white on this.
I'm not sure how straightforward it will be to transport this oil to India - there's no pipeline as far as I'm aware. If Biden presses ahead with a full trade embargo and prevents passage of Russian ships or those bearing Russian goods through the likes of the Straights of Gibraltar, then this deal is fooked.
The former Essar refinery at Vadinar is majority owned by Rosneft, so its hardly surprising they are buying Russian oil. That refinery has historically imported crude from Venezuela, so they don't have any qualms regarding the morals of their suppliers. The obvious route would be Black Sea - Med - Suez - Red Sea-Indian Ocean - Biden could perhaps lean on the Turkey and Egypt to close the Bosphorus and/or Suez Canal to all Russian ships but I cant see it happening.