At least four oil tankers laden with Russian crude are waiting off India’s western coast, as the Asian country’s purchases of the commodity come under the spotlight amid pressure from the US and European Union.

Tighter Western sanctions aimed at cutting Russia's oil revenue, seen as funding its war against Ukraine, have been increasingly hitting Russian oil supplies for India, which buys more than a third of its oil needs from Russia. Tagor is now heading to Dalian in China, while Tassos is diverting to Port Said in Egypt, the data shows.

Indian officials have said they would keep purchasing oil from Russia despite the threat of penalties that U.S. President Donald Trump said he would impose, the New York Times reported on Saturday.