Oil refiners in India are reaching for all available options in the rush to make up for Russian flows hit by Washington’s latest round of sanctions, turning to the spot market while simultaneously seeking more long-term supplies from Middle Eastern producers.

Since the Ukraine war, India has become the second largest buyer of Russian crude oil, owing to the hefty discount Russia offered to bypass sanctions. Prior to the war, India secured most of its oil from the Middle East, with Russia not even featuring among India’s top 20 partners.

Industry officials maintain that enough oil supply is available in the global market and replacing the lost Russian oil volumes should not be difficult.

Indian refiners Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemical Ltd (MRPL) and Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) issued tenders this week seeking crude oil, trade sources said on Tuesday, after harsher U.S. sanctions disrupted Russian supply.

The recent implementation of new US sanctions on Russian oil producers, tankers, and insurers has created a disruption in the supply chain.

Crude oil purchases by Indian Oil Corp. may shift as the new US sanctions on Russia affect supplies from Moscow, pushing the South Asian country’s biggest refiner to seek alternatives.

India has allowed Russian insurer Soglasie Insurance Company to provide marine cover to tankers entering Indian ports, according to Indian ship regulator's website, as New Delhi wants steady supply of cheaper Russian oil despite latest U.

Middlemen supplying Russian oil are not offering cargoes due to new U.S. sanctions targeting Russian producers, tankers and insurers, according to the finance chief at Indian refiner Bharat Petroleum.

Indian banks has begun blocking payments for Russian oil imports following the latest round of U.S. sanctions against Russia's oil industry, according to a report from Energy Intelligence, an energy information company.