India's base oil imports fell to 202,580t in November 2024, down by 5.4pc from a year earlier, data from GTT show.
- Imports in November decreased for the second consecutive month from September 2024. But import volumes in January-November 2024 were 19pc higher compared with a year earlier.
- Production at domestic refineries increased in November as plants were restarted after maintenance.
- The demand for finished lubricants was weaker than expected after the Diwali festival, which took place on 31 October 2024. This could be because of a slowdown in India's economic growth. India's GDP is estimated to grow by 6.4pc in the April 2024-March 2025 financial year, down from 8.2pc a year earlier, government data show.
- Base oil imports from South Korea fell by 28pc on the year in November but rose by 35pc on a year-to-date basis.
- Imports from the UAE increased significantly on the year in November. The UAE mainly produces premium-grade base oils.
India base oils imports | (t) | ||||
Nov-24 | m-o-m ± % | y-o-y ± % | Jan-Nov 24 | y-o-y ± % | |
South Korea | 91,872 | 18.0 | -28.2 | 1,067,245 | 35.0 |
UAE | 27,830 | 43.3 | 61.5 | 248,980 | 24.1 |
Saudi Arabia | 21,675 | -24.0 | 9.5 | 225,649 | -11.4 |
Singapore | 18,138 | -51.9 | -6.2 | 357,943 | 21.5 |
Taiwan | 13,005 | -41.9 | NA | 101,656 | 18.2 |
Total | 202,580 | -5.5 | -5.4 | 2,511,889 | 18.5 |
*Total includes all countries, not just those listed | Source: GTT |