Has India returned 300 petrol tankers from Saudi Arabia over SMDA signed with Pakistan? Fact Check
Claim: India has returned 300 tankers filled with petroleum from Saudi Arabia, causing a stir in Saudi Arabia.
Conclusion: The claim is false. There is no credible evidence to prove that India has returned 300 tankers. There have been no export threats or any calls by India against Saudi Arabia.
Rating: Totally False — 
Recently, several social media users have claimed that India has returned 300 tankers filled with petroleum from Saudi Arabia. A viral X post by verified user ‘erhimanshumi29’ made such a claim, adding that this move created widespread panic and a 10% plunge in Saudi’s economy within 24 hours.
The post alleges India threatened to halt food grain exports, on which Saudi relies heavily, forcing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to urgently call Prime Minister Narendra Modi for clarifications. View the whole X post below:
भारत ने सऊदी अरब के पेट्रोलियम से भरे 300 टैंकर वापिस लौटा दिये जिससे सऊदी में हड़कम्प मच गया है। सऊदी अरब ने क्या सोचा था कि वो पाकिस्तान से डिफेंस डील करेगा ये कहेगा कि पाकिस्तान पर हमला सऊदी पर हमला समझा जाएगा और भारत कोई प्रतिक्रिया भी नहीं देगा? भारत चुप रहेगा? लेकिन सऊदी… pic.twitter.com/TAvy6MVZjd
— Er. Himanshu Mishra (@erhimanshumi29) September 27, 2025
Another verified X user ‘SagarS1517’ has shared the same claim, stating how “this step by the Modi government has completely altered the equations of geopolitics…in no uncertain terms that India will not compromise with its interests…” View the post here.
FACT CHECK
DigitEYE India decided to investigate this claim and found that it is completely false. It fabricates a dramatic escalation in India-Saudi relations amid the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on September 17, 2025. However, no evidence supports India’s alleged tanker rejection or economic sabotage of Saudi.
We first conducted a web search with the phrase “India has returned 300 tankers filled with petroleum from Saudi Arabia” to check for any news reports. However, we did not come across any such report by any credible media outlet.
Instead, we found a report by Reuters published on September 25, 2025 that states Saudi crude shipments to India are projected to continue. According to the report, “India’s crude processing is expected to increase by…5.51 million bpd, with gasoline exports hitting a record high of around 400,000 bpd, according to consultancy Wood Mackenzie.”
View a section from the report below –
A report by Al Jazeera also sheds light on the recent Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. However, the report quotes a senior Saudi official who has clearly stated that “Our relationship with India is more robust than it has ever been.” View a section from the report below:
Following this, we searched for reports of a 10% GDP crash in 24 hours in Saudi Arabia which turned out to be baseless. India has also not suspended food grain exports, and Saudi imports account only for a fraction (under 5%) of its needs from India. A report from News on Air on August 14 2025, reported that India’s shipments of Kargil apricots to Saudi under the One District One Product scheme, signaling strengthened agricultural ties. View a section of the report below:
A report by CNBC published on September 22, 2025 stated how the “Saudi-Pakistan defense agreement will not affect crude sales to India, a senior source told CNBC.” India-Saudi ties have been stable and there has been no hindrance in economic partnerships.
Thus, the claim is totally false.
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