India’s US LNG imports surge in May
India, a major global importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), increased its LNG imports by 3% in May 2026, including a doubling of imports from the United States to offset reduced supplies from the Middle East, according to the country's Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Qazinform News Agency cites TASS.
In May, India imported 2.24 million metric tons of LNG, worth $1.36 billion, reflecting a 3.4% increase from the previous year and a 20% rise from April 2026. The largest suppliers were the United States (846,000 metric tons), Oman (344,000 metric tons), and Nigeria (334,000 metric tons).
India also imported 269,000 metric tons of LNG from Angola and 199,000 metric tons from Trinidad and Tobago. All other suppliers provided less than 100,000 metric tons each during the month.
Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar, the UAE, and Oman, accounted for 18.2% of India's LNG imports, down from 21.9% in April. In early March, Qatar suspended LNG production after Iranian airstrikes. The United Arab Emirates has also faced constraints in transporting its LNG due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Nevertheless, the UAE completed several deliveries to India in May.
Overall, India imported 10.2 million metric tons of LNG from January to May 2026, up 2.3% from the same period last year.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that QatarEnergy, one of the world’s leading gas suppliers, had announced a suspension of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) production following a series of military attacks.