Mumbai, January 6, 2026 – In a dramatic turn of events shaking India's corporate landscape, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) saw its stock price tumble by 3.53% today, closing at 1,522.40 INR after a drop of 55.70 INR. The decline, which erased billions in market value, comes on the heels of a heated denial from the company regarding alleged Russian oil shipments to its Jamnagar refinery, fueling widespread discussions and propelling #Reliance to the top of trending topics on X (formerly Twitter).
The stock's sharp fall marks a stark reversal from recent highs, with analysts attributing the dip to a combination of foreign institutional investor (FII) selling pressure and broader market volatility. "Reliance's heavyweight status in the Nifty index means its movements ripple across the economy," noted financial expert Rajesh Mehta in a post on X. "Today's breakdown below key support levels around 1,500 INR has traders on edge, with many eyeing potential further slides if global cues worsen." Charts shared by users highlighted technical indicators signaling bearish trends, amplifying the online buzz.
At the center of the storm is a Bloomberg report claiming incoming Russian oil cargoes, which Reliance swiftly labeled as "blatantly untrue." In an official statement, the company asserted that no such shipments have arrived in the past three weeks, nor are any expected through January. This rebuttal has ignited debates on X, where users from investors to environmental activists are dissecting the implications. Some posts praise Reliance's transparency amid geopolitical tensions, while others question the timing, linking it to ongoing U.S. sanctions on Russian energy exports.
Adding layers to the narrative, news of environmental clearance for a massive ₹70,000 crore expansion at Jamnagar has surfaced, promising boosted refining capacity but raising concerns over sustainability. "Is this expansion a boon or a burden in today's energy transition?" queried one viral X thread, garnering thousands of retweets.
As #Reliance dominates X feeds, the episode underscores the conglomerate's outsized influence on India's markets and public discourse. With Mukesh Ambani's empire spanning oil, telecom, and retail, today's events serve as a reminder of how corporate decisions can quickly become national talking points. Investors will be watching closely for tomorrow's open, amid calls for regulatory scrutiny into the oil claims.