India 2008/09 oil import growth lowest in 3 yrs

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's crude oil imports and local sales of refined products expanded at the slowest pace in three years in 2008/09, as declining growth in Asia's third-largest economy pared demand, government data showed.
Asia's No. 3 oil consumer's crude imports in 2008/09 rose 5.3 percent to 2.56 million barrels per day (bpd), helped by the commissioning of Reliance Industries' 580,000 bpd refinery in Western state of Gujarat in December.
The new unit, situated next to Reliance's 660,000 bpd refinery, turned Jamnagar into the world's biggest oil complex.
Indian energy demand is expected to rise in April and May as the use of vehicles for a general election will lift diesel sales, while the low-priced Nano car being introduced this year is likely to raise gasoline demand.
In March crude oil imports grew 11.7 percent to 2.77 million bpd.
Oil sales rose 3.5 percent in 2008/09, while global crude oil prices shedding close to $100 dollar a barrel from the July peak on a global economic slowdown.