At least four oil tankers carrying Russian oil have come to a halt off the western coast of India, not moving forward. This situation has gained attention in light of India's oil imports from Russia amid pressure from the US and the EU, reports Bloomberg.

Tracking services indicate that the vessels Achilles and Elyte are currently anchored near the port of Jamnagar, falling behind their scheduled arrival in Sikka on July 30-31.

The ships loaded their cargo at the end of June in Primorsk and Ust-Luga, where Russian Ural oil is typically loaded. Both tankers are under sanctions from the EU and the UK.

India's oil imports from Russia – the current situation

More than a third of India's oil imports come from Russia, and these flows have been in the news recently, especially following a new round of EU sanctions in mid-July.

This week, the Trump administration cited these purchases as a reason for imposing high import tariffs on oil from India, threatening additional sanctions on oil imports.

New Delhi has requested refineries to develop and disclose plans for sourcing oil from alternative suppliers.

The Achilles and Elyte tankers, both Aframax type, have a capacity of about 700,000 barrels each. The port of Sikka serves Reliance Industries Ltd. and Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd.

Reliance and BPCL have not responded to requests for comments.

According to tracking services, two more tankers, Destan and Horae, are also offshore with Russian oil. Destan, sanctioned by the EU and the UK, is anchored with an expected arrival in Sikka on July 24-25. Horae, destined for Vadinar, is scheduled to arrive on August 1 and is not under sanctions from the EU, UK, or US.