Pakistan, Dec. 2 -- A slowdown in India's crude oil imports from Russia may be short-lived, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, as Moscow plans to boost supplies to New Delhi despite Western sanctions.

India, the world's third-largest oil consumer, has cut Russian crude imports this month under pressure from U.S. and European sanctions, with purchases set to reach a three-year low. Russia remains an important energy supplier to India, and Peskov said trade mechanisms not affected by third-country sanctions are being arranged to maintain deliveries.

Several Indian refiners, including Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd, Hindustan Petroleum Corp, and HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd, have paused Russian oil purchases. Meanwhil...