India's crude imports fell 7.4% in September from the preceding month as Essar Oil shut its refinery with a capacity to process 400,000 barrels per day for maintenance during part of period.
India's oil imports from Saudi Arabia in September hit their lowest in a year as the Gulf nation ceded its top seller status to cheaper supplies from Iraq. India imported 640,300 barrels per day of oil from Saudi Arabia last month, about 30% lower than in August, though still up 11.4% from a year ago.