OFAC Issues Temporary Authorization for Delivery of Russian Oil to India

On March 5, 2026, OFAC issued General License (“GL”) 133 (available here), a temporary authorization of the delivery, offloading, and sale of Russian-origin crude oil and petroleum products already loaded onto vessels to India.

GL 133 follows escalating military conflict in the Middle East and associated disruptions to global energy markets.  In announcing GL 133, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described it as a “deliberately short-term measure” designed to “enable oil to keep flowing into the global market” by authorizing transactions “involving oil already stranded at sea.”

GL 133 authorizes all transactions ordinarily incident and necessary to the sale, delivery, or offloading of Russian-origin crude oil and petroleum products to India until 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 4, 2026, subject to the following conditions:

• The products must have been loaded on vessels on or before 12:01 a.m. EST on March 5, 2026;

• Delivery or offloading must occur at an Indian port; and

• The purchaser must be an entity organized under Indian law.

GL 133 explicitly authorizes transactions involving products produced by entities, and vessels, sanctioned under OFAC’s Russia-related sanctions programs.  GL 133 is also explicit that it authorizes ancillary services ordinarily incident and necessary to complete the authorized voyages, including bunkering, crewing, vessel management, insurance, classification, salvage, and port services.

GL 133 is a significant, but limited, time-bound exception to U.S. sanctions on Russian-origin crude oil and petroleum exports.  Persons relying on GL 133 should be careful to ensure they understand and comply with GL 133’s temporal and geographic restrictions.