New Delhi, July 3 -- Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas (PNG) Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday clarified that Indian companies are not directly selling refined fuels to Russia, even as reports emerged that Moscow has begun importing Indian-origin gasoline to ease domestic fuel shortages.

"Indian companies are not selling fuels to Russia," Puri said, adding that it was "possible that Indian-origin refined fuel is sold to Russia via traders," Reuters reported.

The clarification followed a Reuters report that Russia had begun seaborne imports of gasoline from India to bridge a widening supply gap.

Industry sources told the wire agency that at least 60,000 metric tonnes of gasoline had already been dispatched from India, with two ta...