According to informed sources, Indian refiners have purchased approximately 60 million barrels of Russian oil, scheduled for delivery next month, alleviating concerns over potential oil supply disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict. The booking price for this crude oil is $5 to $15 per barrel higher than the price of Brent crude. According to data intelligence firm Kpler, the purchase volume is similar to that of the same period this month but more than double the volume purchased in February. This buying spree stems from a U.S. exemption that allowed India to purchase Russian crude oil loaded before March 5 to compensate for the oil shortage caused by the actual closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Subsequently, the scope of this exemption was expanded to other countries and updated to allow the purchase of crude oil already in transit at sea before March 12.