In November, India paid a record $85.42 per barrel for Russian oil, breaching the G7's $60 cap. The price exceeded October's $84.20. Discounts decreased, narrowing the gap between Russian and Iraqi oil, which averaged $85.73 and $93.32 per barrel, respectively. Since the cap's imposition in December 2022, Indian refiners consistently exceeded the limit for Russian oil. Sanctions and tightened rules led to diversions and reduced Russian oil imports in December, attributed to unattractive prices rather than payment issues by India's oil minister.