India’s Reliance Industries, operator of the world’s biggest refining complex, has purchased 5 million barrels of Iranian crude, days after the US temporarily removed sanctions on the oil, Reuters reports, citing three sources familiar with the matter.

The Indian refiner bought the oil from the National Iranian Oil Co., two of the sources said. One of them said the crude was priced at a premium of about $7 a barrel to ICE Brent futures. It was not immediately clear when the oil would be delivered.

The deal marks India’s first purchase of Iranian oil since the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer halted imports from Iran in May 2019, months after Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran.

Other Asian refiners, including Indian state firms, are making checks to see if they can purchase the oil, several sources have said. However, Asia’s top refiner Sinopec does not intend to buy Iranian oil, a senior executive at the Chinese state giant has said.

Read more here.

People queue to refuel at a fuel station in Ahmedabad on March 23, 2026, following import disruptions caused by the Middle East war. — AFP
People queue to refuel at a fuel station in Ahmedabad on March 23, 2026, following import disruptions caused by the Middle East war. — AFP

Opinion

Editorial

Hardening lines
Updated 22 May, 2026

Hardening lines

Iranian suspicions about Pakistan’s close ties with Washington and Gulf states persist, while Pakistan remains uneasy over Tehran’s growing engagement with India.
Unliveable city
22 May, 2026

Unliveable city

IN Karachi, when it comes to water, it is every man and woman for themselves. A persistent shortage in available...
Glof alert
22 May, 2026

Glof alert

FOR many communities in northern Pakistan, the sound of heavy rain now carries a different meaning. It is no longer...
External woes
Updated 21 May, 2026

External woes

Relying indefinitely on remittances to offset structural economic weaknesses is not sustainable.
Political activity
21 May, 2026

Political activity

THE opposition is astir. There is talk of widespread protests this Friday over a list of dissatisfactions with the...
Seizing hope
21 May, 2026

Seizing hope

ISRAEL’S tyranny knows no bounds. After intercepting the Global Sumud Flotilla that set sail last week, disturbing...