Global software giant Microsoft said on Wednesday that it had restored services to Nayara Energy, an oil refining and marketing company with significant Russian ownership, two days after the company alleged that access to its data and digital tools had been abruptly cut off.
“Microsoft is committed to supporting all its customers in India and worldwide, and has restored services for Nayara Energy. We are engaged in ongoing discussions with the European Union towards service continuity for the organisation,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
Nayara Energy, which operates a network of fuel retail outlets across India, is nearly 49 percent owned by Russian energy major Rosneft. Earlier this week, the company approached the Delhi High Court, accusing Microsoft of unilaterally suspending critical services without prior notice or legal justification under either Indian or US law.
In its petition, Nayara sought an interim injunction and immediate restoration of services to safeguard its operational rights and maintain access to essential digital infrastructure. The company claimed it had received no prior communication or explanation from Microsoft before the service disruption.
Nayara further argued that Microsoft’s actions appeared to be based solely on the European Union’s sanctions announced on July 18, targeting Russian-linked entities as part of its response to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The EU’s latest sanctions package includes sweeping economic and individual restrictions on Russia’s energy, banking, and defence sectors. Specifically for oil marketing companies such as Nayara, the EU has imposed an import ban on refined petroleum products made from Russian crude—regardless of where they are processed—except from select countries including Canada, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The EU said the move was aimed at “preventing Russia’s crude oil from reaching the EU market through the back door”.
