India has overtaken other countries to become Ukraine’s largest diesel supplier, even as it faces steep U.S. tariffs over its continued imports of Russian crude, a new report revealed on Saturday.

According to Ukrainian oil market analytics firm NaftoRynok, India accounted for 15.5% of Ukraine’s total diesel imports in July 2025, the highest share by any single country. Daily deliveries averaged about 2,700 tonnes, making it one of India’s strongest months for diesel exports this year.

From January to July 2025, India’s share in Ukraine’s diesel supply climbed to 10.2%, compared to just 1.9% in the same period of 2024, highlighting a rapid surge in trade. Much of the fuel reportedly reached Ukraine through tanker shipments via Romania’s Danube ports and the Opet terminal in Turkey.

Other major suppliers in July included Slovakia (15%), Greece (13.5%), Turkey (12.4%), and Lithuania (11.4%). Analysts noted that some of India’s diesel could be refined from Russian-origin crude, though official figures have not confirmed this.

The development comes amid escalating trade tensions between New Delhi and Washington. On August 27, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Indian petroleum exports, accusing India of indirectly funding Moscow’s war effort through continued purchases of discounted Russian oil. Trump went so far as to label both India and Russia as “dead economies.”

India has strongly rejected the charges, calling the tariffs “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable”, and vowed to safeguard its economic interests. Experts argue that India’s oil trade is crucial for global stability, noting that Russia supplies nearly 10% of the world’s oil. Without Indian purchases, crude prices could skyrocket to $200 per barrel, severely impacting global consumers.