Which Indian refiners have experienced delayed oil deliveries from the Middle East, and what were the origins of the missed cargoes?

State-run Bharat Petroleum Corp. (BPCL) had four Persian Gulf cargoes that weren’t delivered on schedule in August — two from the United Arab Emirates, one from Saudi Arabia, and a fourth from Kuwait (supplied by a trader). Separately, Indian Oil Corp. (IOC) has also seen its delivery schedules changed. These disruptions forced both refiners to seek alternative crude supplies at short notice, contributing to a recent surge in purchase tenders and cargo solicitations.

Why are these delivery delays particularly disruptive for Indian refiners, and how are they responding operationally?

Refiners typically plan purchases several weeks or months in advance to optimize freight, crude grades, and refinery runs; when a scheduled cargo slips into a later delivery window, buyers must pay more for replacement barrels that can arrive quickly. As a result of the delays, BPCL and IOC scrambled to secure alternative supplies, leading to a flurry of purchase tenders. Though the immediate shortage caused cost pressures, the refiners are now comfortable with orders through October and are largely arranging November deliveries.

Oil Shipments to India Face Delivery Hurdles on Mideast Snarls

Sep 2, 2026

Middle East fighting disrupted oil shipments to India, forcing refiners like Bharat Petroleum and Indian Oil to secure costly alternative cargoes. Geopolitical tensions and Russian supply pressures continue to complicate crude supply chains and pricing.

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