During a flight to Mar-a-Lago on Saturday,U.S . President Donald Trump claimed that India would begin purchasing oil from Venezuela,shifting away from its previous dealings with Iran. He stated,"India's coming in and they're going to be buying Venezuelan oil,as opposed to buying it from Iran." However, this assertion has not been corroborated by either the Indian or Venezuelan governments .
Reports from Indian media outlets,including NDTV and Hindustan Times,have described Trump's comments as significant but noted a lack of immediate response from New Delhi. Hindustan Times highlighted that Delcy Rodríguez, acting president of Venezuela,recently contacted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation across various sectors,including energy and trade. Modi confirmed this conversation on social media, expressing a desire to elevate India-Venezuela relations.
India's oil purchasing history has been complicated by U.S. sanctions. Since 2019, India ceased importing oil from Iran due to U.S. restrictions related to Tehran's nuclear program. Last year, India also halted purchases from Venezuela following 25 percent tariff imposed by the Trump administration on countries importing Venezuelan oil. Consequently,Indian refiners turned to U.S. oil to compensate for the loss of Iranian supplies, later becoming largest buyer of discounted Russian oil after Western sanctions were enacted against Moscow.
Trump's administration has consistently pressured India regarding its oil purchases. In August 2022,he raised tariffs on Indian imports to 50 percent, aiming to curb India's Russian oil imports. Despite this,U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated in January that the additional tariff on Indian goods might be lifted, citing a significant decrease in Indian imports of Russian oil.
Since the political upheaval in Venezuela,Trump has claimed that the U.S . has gained control over country's oil resources . He stated, "We're going to be selling a lot of oil,and we'll take some, and they'll take lot," suggesting a partnership in oil profits between the U.S. and Venezuela. Reports indicate that U.S. crude oil deliveries are expected to exceed 275,000 barrels per day,more than double volumes from December 2022.
Chinese expert Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, commented on Trump's claims,suggesting they reflect unilateral approach lacking confirmation from India or Venezuela. He noted that U.S.-India relations have been unstable,and the current U.S. administration's statements often appear inconsistent. Li criticized the U.S. for its aggressive stance on international trade, describing it as "law of the jungle" mentality that undermines established norms.
In response to U.S. demands for Venezuela to partner exclusively with U.S. on oil production, Mao Ning,a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, emphasized Venezuela's sovereignty over its natural resources . She condemned U.S. actions as violations of international law and an infringement on Venezuela's rights.
