Chinese and Indian refiners are seeking alternative fuel supplies as they adapt to severe new U.S. sanctions on Russian producers and tankers that are designed to curb the revenues of the world's second-largest oil exporter.

China and India became the largest buyers of Russian crude after the European Union pulled back following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The Group of Seven democracies has sought to crimp Russia's oil export earnings that help fund the war against Ukraine. But Western governments and sanctions experts say Moscow has resorted to using a so-called shadow fleet of hundreds of aging tankers of uncertain ownership and safety practices that are dodging sanctions and keeping the oil revenue coming.

Chinese and Indian refiners will source more oil from the Middle East, Africa and the Americas, boosting prices and freight costs.

Three tankers carrying over 2 million barrels of Russian crude oil are floating off China's coast after they were hit by fresh U.S. sanctions last week, Bloombergreported on Jan. 13. The vessels are allegedly part of the so-called "shadow fleet,

By Florence Tan, Siyi Liu, Chen Aizhu and Nidhi Verma SINGAPORE/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Chinese and Indian refiners are scouring the globe for supplies of crude as fresh U.S. sanctions on Russian producers and tankers curb shipments to Moscow's top customers,