2026-05-26T06:59:06+00:00
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Shafaq
News- Baghdad
India has
sharply reduced crude oil imports from Iraq by an estimated 84% following a
series of declines tied to Middle East tensions and constraints in the Strait
of Hormuz, data from Kpler showed on Tuesday.
Shipments
fell to zero in March and April before partially recovering in May, when flows
resumed at only around 41,000 barrels per day (bpd) —a steep drop from
pre-disruption levels of 200,000–300,000 bpd.
Indian
refiners have since shifted toward higher purchases from Latin America and
Africa, including Venezuela, Brazil, Angola, and Nigeria.
The
strategic waterway has remained largely restricted since February 28 after the
US–Israel war on Iran, disrupting energy flows and limiting shipments across
the region. Gulf producers, including Iraq —through which roughly 95% of its
oil exports pass via the corridor— have scaled back exports.
Baghdad
previously secured access to the passage after Iran granted “brotherly Iraq” an
exemption from “any restrictions imposed on the Strait of Hormuz,” setting it
apart from states Tehran considers hostile.
Read more: Iraq’s oil lifeline blocked: Why the crisis runs deeper than Hormuz