CHANDIGARH, APRIL 4—The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Saturday rejected assertions that payment hurdles led to the rerouting of an Iranian crude oil tanker away from India. Official sources termed reports of financial obstacles as factually incorrect, stating that Indian refiners continue to secure crude requirements without such impediments. The clarification follows data from ship-tracking firms indicating that the tanker Ping Shun, originally bound for Gujarat, had altered its course toward China.
The ministry maintained that changing vessel destinations mid-voyage is a common operational flexibility in global energy markets. According to the government statement, bills of lading often list tentative discharge ports, and cargoes are frequently diverted for trade optimization. The ministry affirmed that India’s crude oil needs remain fully secured for the coming months and noted that another vessel, the Sea Bird, successfully berthed at Mangalore on April 2 to discharge 44,000 tonnes of Iranian LPG.
Recent geopolitical shifts, including a temporary U.S. sanctions waiver, have allowed Indian refiners to explore purchasing Iranian oil currently at sea. The Ping Shun, carrying approximately 600,000 barrels, would have marked the first such shipment to India since 2019. Government officials declared that the nation’s procurement strategy remains diverse, sourcing from a wide range of global suppliers to maintain energy security amid Middle East supply disruptions.
Historically, Iran was a significant partner for India, accounting for over 11 percent of total oil imports before sanctions tightened in 2018. While imports had ceased for several years, the recent 30-day waiver window has reopened brief commercial opportunities. The ministry asserted that any suggestion of payment failure is a misunderstanding of how the international oil trade functions.
