Categories: Business

West Asia Tensions Could Add USD 13-14 Billion to India’s Oil Import Bill, Widening Current Account Deficit

ICRA warns that rising tensions in West Asia could push crude prices up, increasing India’s oil import costs by USD 13-14 billion and widening the current account deficit, impacting inflation and currency.

Add NewsX As A Trusted Source
Add as a preferred
source on Google
Published by Aishwarya Samant
Published: June 23, 2025 14:25:14 IST

If the heightened tension in West Asia pushes average crude prices by USD 10 per barrel, it will typically push up India’s net oil imports by nearly USD 13-14 billion during the year, enlarging India’s CAD by 0.3 per cent of GDP, noted a recent report by ICRA.

“If the average crude oil price rises to USD 80-90/bbl in FY2026, then the CAD is likely to widen to 1.5-1.6% of GDP from our current estimate of 1.2-1.3% of GDP. This would also exert pressure on the USD/INR pair during the fiscal,” ICRA said.

The report says the conflict between Iran and Israel, which began on June 13, 2025, pushed crude prices from USD 64-65/bbl to USD 74-75/bbl. Now, after the US strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, Iran has announced that it will close the Strait of Hormuz, which can disrupt the global crude supply.

“Iran straddles the (Strait of Hormuz), which remains one of the key energy choke points, through which almost 20 per cent of global liquids and liquified natural gas (LNG) is traded,” noted the report.

ICRA also expects change in crude oil prices is likely to translate faster into the WPI than the CPI amid different weightage mix in both these indices; for every 10 per cent increase in crude oil prices, the WPI inflation will rise by 80-100 bps, compared to 20-30 bps in CPI inflation, provided the transmission into RSPs of petrol and diesel takes place.

India imports crude from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE, which is routed through the SoH, and it accounts for approx. 45-50 per cent of the total crude oil imports to India.

Additionally, ICRA believes that “any sustained disruption in supplies from Iran, and/or spread of the conflict to other large producers in this area and/or any disturbance in the trade route through SoH could drive energy prices higher.”

On the natural gas side, nearly 54 per cent of natural gas imports for India pass through SoH, and a major share of the term LNG originates from Qatar and the UAE. And any disruption in the SoH may result in supply uncertainties from Qatar and the UAE, which may result in higher dependence on the spot LNG market.

(From ANI)

Also Read: HDB Financial Services IPO Trades At 6.35 Percent In Grey Market Premium Ahead Of Launch

Published by Aishwarya Samant
Published: June 23, 2025 14:25:14 IST

Recent Posts

3 Doors Down’s Brad Arnold Dies At 47 After Courageous Cancer Fight; Rock World Mourns Iconic Voice

Brad Arnold, lead singer of 3 Doors Down, died at 47 after a battle with…

February 8, 2026

Propose Day 2026: Heart-Touching Shayari To Melt Your Loved One’s Heart And Say ‘I Love You’ In Style

Propose Day on February 8 celebrates daring declarations of love. Shayari, in Urdu and Hindi,…

February 8, 2026

Kota Horror: 8 Rescued As Restaurant Building Collapses In Rajasthan, Many Feared Trapped Under Debris Amid Late-Night Chaos

A restaurant building collapsed in Kota’s Jawahar Nagar, triggering major rescue operations. Eight people were…

February 8, 2026