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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy withdraws case against Microsoft from Delhi HC after restoration of services
Russia's Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy on Wednesday withdrew its case against Microsoft from the Delhi High Court after the US tech giant resumed its critical services to it. The services, including outlook email accounts and Microsoft Teams were suspended, last week in view of the European Union sanctioning Nayara Energy, a major buyer of Russian Oil. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Data Science Design Thinking CXO Operations Management Public Policy Leadership PGDM Product Management Healthcare Finance Cybersecurity healthcare Others Management MBA Technology Project Management others MCA Digital Marketing Data Science Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIT Madras CERT-IITM Advanced Cert Prog in AI and ML India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months E&ICT Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati CERT-IITG Prof Cert in DS & BA with GenAI India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 30 Weeks IIM Kozhikode SEPO - IIMK-AI for Senior Executives India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 30 Weeks IIM Kozhikode SEPO - IIMK-AI for Senior Executives India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months E&ICT Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati CERT-IITG Postgraduate Cert in AI and ML India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK DABS India Starts on undefined Get Details Nayara Energy, formerly known as Essar Oil, had then moved the court seeking resumption of services by Microsoft to safeguard its rights and ensure continued access to essential digital infrastructure. Accusing Microsoft of 'corporate overreach,' the Indian oil refiner claimed that the US firm was not bound by EU sanctions and the abrupt suspension of licensed Microsoft tools and services had impacted its critical business operations "Microsoft is currently restricting Nayara Energy's access to its own data, proprietary tools, and products, despite these being acquired under fully paid-up licenses," senior counsel Rajiv Nayyar and Dayan Krishnan, appearing for Nayara, argued, adding that Microsoft's unilateral decision was based solely on interpretation of recent European Union sanctions against Russia. 'While the sanctions originate exclusively from the EU, Microsoft--a US-headquartered corporation—has chosen to withdraw services from Nayara without any legal requirement to do so under US or Indian law," they argued, adding that Microsoft had acted without any notice 'At least they should give 3–4 days' notice before terminating. There can't be an abrupt shutting,' the lawyers told the court. However, Microsoft's senior counsel Sandeep Sethi informed the court that the company had restored all suspended services to Nayara but no assurances could be given for the future. 'They (Nayara) are a sanctioned entity by the EU. We have restored today, but I can't make these statements for the future,' he submitted. Taking note of this, a bench led by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav allowed Nayara to withdraw the petition, granting it liberty to approach the court again should similar grievances arise. 'Earlier, without notice, they had shut their services. You came to court. Now they have restored it. The grievance stands mitigated. In the future, we believe they would not do the same exercise, and as and when they intend to, they will perhaps give you notice. If they don't, you (Nayara) can come back to court,' the court said. Nayara operates a major refinery in Gujarat and controls over 6,000 retail fuel outlets across India, On July 18, the European Union had imposed a new set of sanctions targeting Russian interests, including an Indian entity Nayara Energy for the first time. The sanctions by the European Union were part of its continuing efforts to exert economic pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine.
News18
8 hours ago
- Business
- News18
Microsoft restores services to Nayara ahead of HC hearing
New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) Microsoft Corp has restored all services – including email access – to Russian oil giant Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy, just before a scheduled hearing in the Delhi High Court over the service suspension, sources said. Earlier this week, Microsoft suspended its services to Nayara Energy after the European Union included the company in a new round of sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war. In response, Nayara took the US tech giant to the Delhi High Court, which was scheduled to hear the matter on Wednesday. However, sources familiar with the situation said that prior to the hearing, Microsoft reinstated full access to email, Microsoft Teams, and other services for Nayara. Nayara had called the action by Microsoft unilateral. 'Nayara Energy has initiated legal proceedings against Microsoft following the abrupt and unilateral suspension of critical services. Microsoft is currently restricting Nayara Energy's access to its own data, proprietary tools, and products – despite these being acquired under fully paid-up licences," the company had said in a statement on July 28. Rosneft owns a 49.13 per cent stake in Nayara Energy Ltd, formerly Essar Oil Ltd. Nayara owns and operates a 20 million tonnes per year oil refinery at Vadinar in Gujarat and runs over 6,750 petrol pumps across the country. An investment consortium SPV, Kesani Enterprises Company, holds another 49.13 per cent stake in Nayara. Kesani is owned by Russia's United Capital Partners (UCP) and Hara Capital Sarl, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mareterra Group Holding (formerly Genera Group Holding S.p.A.). 'This decision, based solely on Microsoft's unilateral interpretation of recent European Union (EU) sanctions, sets a dangerous precedent for corporate overreach and raises serious concerns regarding its implications on India's energy ecosystem," Nayara had said. The firm had said it has filed a petition before the High Court of Delhi seeking an interim injunction and resumption of services to safeguard its rights and ensure continued access to essential digital infrastructure. 'These steps are aimed at preventing any potential disruption to Nayara's ability to meet its obligations to Indian consumers and stakeholders," it had said. Nayara believes that while the sanctions originate exclusively from the EU, Microsoft – a US-headquartered corporation – choose to withdraw services from the company without any legal requirement to do so under US or Indian law. 'This action has been taken unilaterally, without prior notice, consultation or recourse, and under the guise of compliance. Such moves signal a worrying trend of global corporations extending foreign legal frameworks into jurisdictions where they have no applicability," it had said. Nayara accounts for about 8 per cent of the country's total refining capacity and 7 per cent of its retail petrol pump network. PTI ANZ ANZ DR DR view comments First Published: July 30, 2025, 13:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Mint
a day ago
- Business
- Mint
Delhi HC issues notice to Microsoft over suspension of services to Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy
The Delhi high court has issued a notice to US tech giant Microsoft Corp. on a plea filed by Nayara Energy Ltd, seeking an interim injunction and the immediate restoration of services critical to its operations. A bench led by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav admitted the Russian oil major Rosneft-backed firm's petition and directed Microsoft to respond. The matter is now scheduled for further hearing on 30 July. 'Upon the petitioner taking necessary steps, let notice be issued to the respondent through all permissible modes, returnable on 30.07.2025,' the court said in its 28 July order, a copy of which was reviewed by Mint. Nayara Energy has accused Microsoft of unilaterally halting access to its licensed digital tools, data, and proprietary services despite no legal compulsion under the US or Indian laws to do so. The company argued that Microsoft's move against Nayara was based solely on the European Union's (EU) sanctions announced on 18 July. 'This decision, based solely on Microsoft's interpretation of EU sanctions, sets a dangerous precedent for corporate overreach and raises serious concerns regarding its implications on India's energy ecosystem,' Nayara had said in a statement. The company added that the sanctions were imposed exclusively by the EU, and therefore should not warrant service disruption by a US-headquartered corporation. Nayara noted that it holds fully paid-up licences for Microsoft products and services, and that the sudden withdrawal is jeopardizing business continuity and access to essential infrastructure. On 18 July, the EU imposed a new set of sanctions targeting Russian interests, including an Indian entity—Nayara Energy—for the first time. The sanctions are part of the EU's continuing efforts to exert economic pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine. As per the directive, Nayara is barred from exporting refined petroleum products to Europe, and the action could also affect its engagements with European businesses. Following the sanctions, Nayara called the EU's actions 'baseless, unilateral, and a violation of international law'. It had announced that it is actively exploring legal remedies against the EU sanctions while simultaneously seeking judicial protection within India. Nayara Energy, formerly known as Essar Oil, operates a 20-million-tonne-per-annum oil refinery in Vadinar, Gujarat, and manages a network of around 6,800 fuel retail outlets across India. The company accounts for approximately 8% of India's total refining capacity and 7% of its retail fuel distribution. Rosneft and Kesani Enterprises—a consortium of international investors including Italy's Mareterra and Russia's United Capital Partners—together hold a 49.13% stake in Nayara. Despite foreign ownership, the company maintains that it is governed by Indian law and operates as a fully Indian entity. Meanwhile, India's crude oil imports from Russia surged in May to a ten‑month high of about 1.96 million barrels per day, driven by steep discounts compared to global benchmark prices, showed ship‑tracking data from Kpler. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India—historically reliant on Middle Eastern supplies—has increasingly turned to Russian crude due to economic advantages. According to a Reuters report, imports rose slightly to about 1.75 million barrels per day in the first half of 2025, with private refiners Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy accounting for nearly half of those purchases.
The Print
2 days ago
- Business
- The Print
Microsoft suspends services to Nayara, co sues firm in Delhi High Court
The European Union earlier this month imposed sanctions on Nayara as part of a new raft of measures against Russia over its war with Ukraine. 'Nayara Energy has initiated legal proceedings against Microsoft following the abrupt and unilateral suspension of critical services. Microsoft is currently restricting Nayara Energy's access to its own data, proprietary tools, and products – despite these being acquired under fully paid-up licences,' the company said in a statement. New Delhi, Jul 28 (PTI) Microsoft Corp has stopped providing services to Russian oil giant Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy following European Union sanctions, prompting the Indian refinery to sue the tech giant in the Delhi High Court. Rosneft owns a 49.13 per cent stake in Nayara Energy Ltd, formerly Essar Oil Ltd. Nayara owns and operates a 20 million tonnes a year oil refinery at Vadinar in Gujarat, as well as over 6,750 petrol pumps. An investment consortium SPV, Kesani Enterprises Company, holds another 49.13 per cent stake in Nayara. Kesani is owned by Russia's United Capital Partners (UCP) and Hara Capital Sarl, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mareterra Group Holding (formerly Genera Group Holding S.p.A.). 'This decision, based solely on Microsoft's unilateral interpretation of recent European Union (EU) sanctions, sets a dangerous precedent for corporate overreach and raises serious concerns regarding its implications on India's energy ecosystem,' Nayara said. The firm said it has filed a petition before the High Court of Delhi seeking an interim injunction and resumption of services to safeguard its rights and ensure continued access to essential digital infrastructure. 'These steps are aimed at preventing any potential disruption to Nayara's ability to meet its obligations to Indian consumers and stakeholders,' it said. The firm went on to state that while the sanctions originate exclusively from the EU, Microsoft – a US-headquartered corporation – has chosen to withdraw services from Nayara Energy without any legal requirement to do so under US or Indian law. 'This action has been taken unilaterally, without prior notice, consultation or recourse, and under the guise of compliance. Such moves signal a worrying trend of global corporations extending foreign legal frameworks into jurisdictions where they have no applicability,' it said. Nayara Energy said it is a vital contributor to India's energy security, accounting for approximately 8 per cent of the country's total refining capacity, 7 per cent of its retail petrol pump network. 'Despite these external challenges that Nayara Energy is currently facing, we remain fully committed to ensuring uninterrupted service and supply to India's energy demands,' the statement said. 'All of Nayara Energy's operations are fully compliant with Indian laws and regulations, and the company remains in regular engagement with Indian authorities to ensure transparency and accountability. Nayara said it primarily caters to the domestic market through India's largest private fuel retail network, institutional sales, and partnerships with other Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). The company is also investing in petrochemicals and clean energy, creating thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities across India. PTI ANZ ANZ MR This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Nayara Energy sues Microsoft over Russia's Rosneft-linked service suspension, cites ‘corporate overreach'
IT services giant Microsoft Corp has suspended services to Russian oil major Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy Ltd after the European Union's (EU) sanctions on Moscow. Following the suspension of Microsoft services, the Indian oil refinery company on Monday sued the US tech giant in the Delhi High Court. "Nayara Energy has initiated legal proceedings against Microsoft following the abrupt and unilateral suspension of critical services. Microsoft is currently restricting Nayara Energy's access to its own data, proprietary tools, and products - despite these being acquired under fully paid-up licences," the company said in a statement. "This decision, based solely on Microsoft's unilateral interpretation of recent European Union (EU) sanctions, sets a dangerous precedent for corporate overreach and raises serious concerns regarding its implications on India's energy ecosystem," Nayara added. Earlier this month, the EU imposed sanctions on Nayara as part of a new raft of measures against Russia over its war with Ukraine. Rosneft owns a 49.13 per cent stake in Nayara Energy, formerly known as Essar Oil Ltd. An investment consortium SPV, Kesani Enterprises Company, holds another 49.13 per cent stake in Nayara. Kesani is owned by Russia's United Capital Partners (UCP) and Hara Capital Sarl, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mareterra Group Holding (formerly Genera Group Holding S.p.A.). The Indian company owns and operates a 20 million tonnes a year oil refinery at Vadinar in Gujarat, as well as over 6,750 petrol pumps. Nayara, in its petition, has sought an interim injunction and resumption of Microsoft services to safeguard its rights and ensure continued access to essential digital infrastructure. "These steps are aimed at preventing any potential disruption to Nayara's ability to meet its obligations to Indian consumers and stakeholders," it said. The firm further said that while the sanctions originate exclusively from the EU, Microsoft, a US-headquartered corporation, decided to withdraw services from Nayara Energy without any legal requirement to do so under the US or Indian laws.
