India has declined to receive liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia’s Portovaya plant in the Baltic Sea, which is subject to US sanctions, leaving a tanker bound for India in limbo as talks continue over permitted cargoes, industry sources told Reuters. The decision comes despite tightened LNG supply conditions driven by Middle East tensions.
The move underscores India’s effort to balance energy security with compliance risks, as sanctioned LNG cargoes are harder to disguise than crude shipments. One source noted the vessel had signaled India as its destination in mid‑April, though paperwork suggested the cargo was non‑Russian. Tracking data later confirmed its origin from Portovaya.
India remains open to authorized Russian LNG, though most of those volumes are already contracted to Europe. China, by contrast, continues to purchase both sanctioned and unsanctioned Russian LNG, sources added.
Moscow is also seeking long‑term supply agreements with India covering LNG and fertilizers—including potash, phosphorus, and urea—as part of its broader export diversification strategy.
