UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Russia’s share in India’s oil imports jumps to 48% in June

Q1. The term 'Urals', which recurs in assessments of India's crude import basket and of the G7/EU price cap, refers to which one of the following?

  • A. Russia's principal westbound seaborne export blend, a medium sour crude marketed at a differential to Brent
  • B. Russia's light sweet grade loaded at Pacific ports and marketed mainly to North-East Asian buyers
  • C. The trunk pipeline network carrying Russian crude overland to refineries in Central and Eastern Europe
  • D. The blend of Kazakh crude loaded at Novorossiysk terminals and marketed by an international consortium

Q2. Immediately before the February 2022 Ukraine conflict, which one of the following was the single largest source country of India's crude oil imports?

  • A. The United Arab Emirates, then supplying just under a tenth of India's crude imports
  • B. Iraq, then supplying about a fifth of India's crude oil imports
  • C. Nigeria, then the leading West African supplier to Indian coastal refineries
  • D. Saudi Arabia, then supplying about a sixth of India's crude oil imports

Q3. Which one of the following was the lowest level to which the EU/UK price cap on Russian seaborne crude had been lowered, being the level in force through the first half of 2026?

  • A. USD 60.00 per barrel
  • B. USD 51.90 per barrel
  • C. USD 47.60 per barrel
  • D. USD 44.10 per barrel

Q4. In the United States, the prohibition on providing services for Russian crude sold above the price cap, and the designation of entities that breach it, are administered and enforced by which one of the following?

  • A. The Office of Foreign Assets Control in the Department of the Treasury
  • B. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in the Department of the Treasury
  • C. The Bureau of Industry and Security in the Department of Commerce
  • D. The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls in the Department of State

Q5. Official Indian figures on crude oil import volumes, source-wise shares and import dependence are compiled and published by which one of the following bodies?

  • A. The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
  • B. The Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
  • C. The Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • D. The National Statistical Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation

Q6. With reference to India's crude oil imports in June 2026 as compared with earlier reference periods, consider the following statements: 1. India's imports of Russian crude rose by about 34 per cent over the preceding month, reaching a record level in volume terms. 2. India's total crude oil imports in June 2026 exceeded 4.9 million barrels per day, higher than the level of about 4.7 million barrels per day recorded in June 2025. 3. The entire month-on-month increase in India's crude intake was accounted for by Russian barrels alone, India's overall crude import volumes being otherwise wholly unchanged from May 2026. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. India's imports of Russian crude rose by about 34 per cent over the preceding month, reaching a record level in volume terms.
  2. India's total crude oil imports in June 2026 exceeded 4.9 million barrels per day, higher than the level of about 4.7 million barrels per day recorded in June 2025.
  3. The entire month-on-month increase in India's crude intake was accounted for by Russian barrels alone, India's overall crude import volumes being otherwise wholly unchanged from May 2026.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q7. With reference to the United States action of 22 October 2025 against Russia's oil sector, consider the following: 1. The designations covered Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia's two largest oil companies, together with 33 Russia-based subsidiaries of the two. 2. The action was taken under Executive Order 14024, which reaches persons determined to operate in Russia's energy sector. 3. Surgutneftegaz and Gazprom Neft were designated in the same action, leaving Indian refiners with no Russian seller from whom crude could lawfully be bought. 4. The Treasury cautioned that foreign financial institutions conducting significant transactions with the designated entities run the risk of being sanctioned, including restrictions on their US correspondent accounts. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. The designations covered Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia's two largest oil companies, together with 33 Russia-based subsidiaries of the two.
  2. The action was taken under Executive Order 14024, which reaches persons determined to operate in Russia's energy sector.
  3. Surgutneftegaz and Gazprom Neft were designated in the same action, leaving Indian refiners with no Russian seller from whom crude could lawfully be bought.
  4. The Treasury cautioned that foreign financial institutions conducting significant transactions with the designated entities run the risk of being sanctioned, including restrictions on their US correspondent accounts.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4

Q8. At the time of the October 2025 designations, which one of the following was India's single largest buyer of Russian crude, accounting for roughly half of the country's Russian imports and purchasing directly from Rosneft?

  • A. Indian Oil Corporation Limited, the country's largest refiner by installed capacity
  • B. Nayara Energy Limited, the Vadinar-based refiner with substantial Russian shareholding
  • C. Reliance Industries Limited, operator of the Jamnagar refining complex
  • D. HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited, the Bathinda-based joint venture refiner

Q9. With reference to India's crude oil import dependence and its strategic petroleum reserves, consider the following statements: 1. According to the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, India's crude oil import dependence fell from 88.6 per cent in 2022-23 to 87.4 per cent in 2023-24. 2. India's existing strategic petroleum reserve capacity of 5.33 million metric tonnes is distributed across three locations, of which the largest single facility is at Padur. 3. The additional commercial-cum-strategic facilities approved in 2021, of 6.5 million metric tonnes in all, are to come up at Chandikhol in Odisha and Padur in Karnataka on a public-private partnership basis. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. According to the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, India's crude oil import dependence fell from 88.6 per cent in 2022-23 to 87.4 per cent in 2023-24.
  2. India's existing strategic petroleum reserve capacity of 5.33 million metric tonnes is distributed across three locations, of which the largest single facility is at Padur.
  3. The additional commercial-cum-strategic facilities approved in 2021, of 6.5 million metric tonnes in all, are to come up at Chandikhol in Odisha and Padur in Karnataka on a public-private partnership basis.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. In the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air's June 2026 assessment, the Jamnagar refinery recorded the steepest month-on-month rise among Indian refineries in receipts of Russian crude. That rise was of approximately what magnitude?

  • A. 45 per cent
  • B. 83 per cent
  • C. 126 per cent
  • D. 150 per cent

Q11. With reference to India's stated position on Russian crude purchases and to the nature of the restrictions involved, consider the following statements: 1. The Government of India's position has been that its purchases of Russian crude were made under a United Nations Security Council sanctions regime from which India secured a country-specific exemption. 2. As part of its energy security strategy, India has widened its crude oil sourcing from 27 countries to about 40 countries. 3. Unlike primary sanctions, which bind persons subject to the sanctioning state's own jurisdiction, secondary measures place third-country entities such as foreign financial institutions at risk of designation for dealing with the sanctioned target. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Government of India's position has been that its purchases of Russian crude were made under a United Nations Security Council sanctions regime from which India secured a country-specific exemption.
  2. As part of its energy security strategy, India has widened its crude oil sourcing from 27 countries to about 40 countries.
  3. Unlike primary sanctions, which bind persons subject to the sanctioning state's own jurisdiction, secondary measures place third-country entities such as foreign financial institutions at risk of designation for dealing with the sanctioned target.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q12. Reliance Industries ceased feeding Russian crude to its export-oriented special economic zone refinery at Jamnagar in order to comply with an impending European Union rule. That rule is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A prohibition on importing into the EU refined petroleum products manufactured from Russian-origin crude, wherever the refining took place
  • B. A prohibition on all imports of petroleum products from India into the EU, regardless of the origin of the crude processed
  • C. A requirement that every cargo of Russian-origin crude or its products be carried only on tankers flagged and insured within the EU
  • D. A ceiling on the price at which refined products made from Russian-origin crude may be sold in any market outside the EU