HMEL, a joint venture between Lakshmi Mittal and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), announced on Wednesday that it has suspended imports of Russian crude oil following new Western restrictions on Moscow’s energy trade. In a statement, the Bathinda-based refinery said the suspension would remain in place “pending receipt of any outstanding orders” and cited “new restrictions on crude oil imports from Russia by the United States, European Union and the United Kingdom,” reported Economic Times.HMEL clarified that it could not verify a Financial Times report alleging that its earlier shipments had arrived on vessels linked to Western sanctions. The company emphasised that it buys crude on a “delivered-at-port” basis — meaning sellers handle the shipping — and therefore has “no visibility over intermediate vessels” or any attempts to disguise their locations during transfers. The refinery, which has a capacity of 11 million tonnes per annum, is jointly owned by HPCL and the Mittal Group (49 per cent each), with financial institutions holding the remaining stake. According to the FT, HMEL received around $280 million worth of Russian crude between July and September using vessels blacklisted by the US, while the final shipment was made by Samadha — a tanker under EU sanctions but not on the US list. HMEL said Samadha “was not under US sanctions at the time of delivery” and reiterated that “all transactions undergo extensive due diligence, including counterparty KYC, sanctions screening and vessel history checks.” The move comes amid heightened scrutiny of India’s Russian oil imports after Washington imposed fresh sanctions last week on major producers Rosneft and Lukoil. Other Indian refiners, including Indian Oil Corporation and Reliance Industries, have also indicated that they are reviewing compliance protocols to ensure adherence to international sanctions.

TOKYO: Japanese carmaker Honda Motor will make India a global manufacturing hub for its upcoming electric, Honda 0 α (alpha), whose prototype was unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show.The car has been developed for the Indian and Japanese markets, apart from other Asian countries. Its India debut will be in fiscal 2026-27. Honda Motor Co president and global CEO Toshihiro Mibe said the launch will further the company’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality and zero traffic collision fatalities worldwide by 2050.Honda 0 α (alpha) will be manufactured at Honda’s plant in Alwar, Rajasthan. Honda also launched other electric prototypes, including a green saloon. Honda India MD and CEO Takashi Nakajima said India is one of the top three markets for the company globally in terms of corporate focus and investments. Speaking on the eve of Honda’s new car launch at the Japan Mobility Show, Nakajima said, “Our top management has decided to focus on India among the three key markets for Honda’s future growth alongside the US and Japan.” Nakajima acknowledged that while Honda’s business scale in India is still low compared to the US or Japan, its future ambitions are substantial.He admitted that expanding the product line-up in India will take several years, but hinted at imminent progress. “India is one of the most promising and exciting markets in the world today. Our two-wheeler business is already very big, and now we aim to pursue strong growth in our four-wheel business by building both brand and volumes.” On ethanol blending, Nakajima said that while the higher ratio of ethanol posed challenges, Honda’s engineers were up to it. (The writer is in Tokyo at the invitation of Honda Motor Co.)