The US has expressed concern to India about breaking economic sanctions on Russia, according to a local central banker.
Accordingly, a Russian tanker on the open sea handed over oil to an Indian ship, which was then processed in India and finally exported to the United States, Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor Michael Patra said on Saturday at a financial conference in the state of Odisha.
“You know there are sanctions against people who buy Russian oil.
Here's what was reported to us by the US Treasury Department,” Patra said to his government and financial industry audience.
“An Indian ship met a Russian tanker on the open sea, seized oil on the open sea, called at a port in the state of Gujarat.
The oil was processed at this port and turned into a distillate used in the manufacture of single-use plastic," the central banker said.
The Indian ship took over the freight again, left the port and was only informed about its destination New York on the open sea.
"That's how war works," summed up Patra.
He did not name the ship.
The US Embassy did not comment on the information.
India is one of the largest oil importers in the world.
Since Russia's attack on Ukraine and Western sanctions against Russia, India has also been one of the major buyers of Russian oil.
India, which traditionally relies heavily on arms imports from Russia, is trying to establish good relations with both the USA and Russia.