New Delhi, June 23 -- Although uncertainty prevails over whether the US will extend its sanctions waiver for India's Russian oil imports, inward shipments are poised to hit their highest monthly level ever in June, according to Kpler data.

Indian imports of Russian crude have averaged 2.6 million daily barrels so far this month, or more than half the country's total oil inflow from overseas. By the end of this month, the average figure is expected to settle above 2.35 million barrels per day, beating the previous high of 2.2 million in May 2023.

This isn't a sudden spurt either. Last month saw a daily average of about 1.9 million Russian barrels imported. Broadly, the data indicates that India has been sourcing significant quantities of...