US turns to Reliance for fuel security, eases pressure on India over Russian Oil

KOCHI: The United States is deepening its cooperation with Reliance Industries to keep global fuel supplies steady and to boost the refining of oil from Western countries. Washington appears to be prioritising this over pressing India to cut Russian oil purchases right away. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Reliance’s refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat, is a sign of this shift, according to Sumit Ritolia, an energy analyst at Kpler.

With a capacity to process 14 lakh barrels of crude oil a day, the Jamnagar refinery is among the largest in the world. It exports diesel and other fuels to the US, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Any disruption to the refinery’s operations or its crude supply could therefore hit global fuel availability and push up prices.

Russia supplied nearly one-third of the crude processed at Jamnagar between July and September 2026. The steep discount on Russian oil plays a key role in Reliance’s buying decisions. The price of American crude, freight costs and oil quality also influence what the company buys.

Reliance can also refine crude from Venezuela. This gives it room to source oil from several regions. The US cooperation, therefore, is aimed less at restricting Russian crude and more at ensuring a steady supply from a variety of sources.