<h1>New US and EU sanctions push Indian refiners to cut Russian crude imports and overhaul compliance, routing, financing</h1> Newly effective US sanctions targeting designated Russian oil companies and their majority-owned subsidiaries render crude linked to these entities 'sanctioned,' compelling Indian refiners to halt or sharply reduce such imports to avoid exposure to OFAC-related secondary sanctions and restrictions on vessels, banks, and service providers. EU rules also now bar fuels derived from Russian crude for certain export operations, prompting reconfiguration of sourcing, routing, ownership, and payment structures. One India-based refiner already under EU sanctions continues Russian purchases, while others pause or shift to non-designated Russian suppliers and alternative regions. Russian oil itself is not comprehensively embargoed, enabling continued but more opaque and legally complex trade, contingent on strict compliance screening and evolving Western enforcement practices.