NEW DELHI, May 21 Reuters India39;s Russian oil imports rose a ninemonth high in April after shipments on nonsanctioned tankers operated by Russia39;s largest shipping company Sovcomflot resumed, tanker data obtained from shipping and trade sources showed.

Refiners in India briefly stopped importing Russian oil in tankers belonging to Sovcomflot after the company39;s ships, along with its 14 tankers, were designated by Washington in February as being in breach of Western sanctions.

The West has imposed the sanctions against Russia since it invaded Ukraine in 2022 and has enacted price caps on oil and oil products loaded at Russian ports aimed at cutting Moscow39;s oil revenue that funds the war.

India, the world39;s thirdbiggest oil importer and consumer, is the top client for Russian seaborne oil.

In April, the first month of the fiscal year 202425, Indian refiners shipped in nearly 1.8 million barrels per day bpd of Russian oil, up about 8.2 over the previous month, expanding Russia39;s share in India to about 38 from 32 in the previous month, the data showed.

Overall, India imported 4.8 million bpd of oil in April, a decline of 6.5 from the previous month and marginally higher than April 2023.

Russia continued to be the top oil supplier to India followed by Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

However, increased purchases of Russian oil dented Indian refiners39; overall purchase of Iraqi and Saudi Arabian oil during the month, dragging down the share of Middle Eastern oil to…