Is India really moving from Iranian to Venezuelan oil? Why Trump thinks so | World News

New Delhi: Citing changes in global oil trade due to sanctions and shifting alliances, President Donald Trump said the United States has struck a new energy deal that he believes will lead to India buying oil from Venezuela instead of Iran.

“India is coming and they will buy Venezuelan oil instead of buying it from Iran. So we have already made this agreement, the concept of the agreement,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday.

The statement underlined what it described as strategic alignment in the global energy market and suggested that China could also take part in similar arrangements.

President Trump’s comments come at a time when US sanctions on Iranian oil have kept India’s imports from Tehran very low for years. Therefore, Indian refiners turned to Russian oil, which caused pressure from Washington due to sanctions imposed on Moscow due to the war in Ukraine.

The US administration has been tightening the screws on oil supply decisions in recent months. Last year, Trump doubled tariffs on Indian exports to the United States and imposed additional taxes on purchases of Venezuelan crude to deter New Delhi from buying Russian oil. This week, the White House eased some sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry, a move it said would help “the flow of existing product” and pave the way for greater participation by U.S. companies.

A senior White House official told reporters that further announcements on sanctions relief would be made soon, underscoring Washington’s intention to open up more Venezuelan oil for export under existing policy adjustments.

Trump suggested that the tone of relations between the US and India had warmed after a rift over trade and energy issues. He also said China could make a deal with the United States to buy Venezuelan oil. It points to broader strategic goals.

Reactions to Trump’s statement vary in global diplomatic circles. Some analysts see the change as part of Washington’s broader strategy to reduce Russia’s influence in global energy markets and establish influence over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, especially after recent political turmoil in Caracas.

At the same time, commentators say that Trump’s words are an assertion from the US side, and neither the Indian government nor Venezuela has publicly confirmed the start of official contracts or imports.

India’s energy imports depend on factors such as market prices, refinery capacity and diplomatic relations. While buying oil from Venezuela could give New Delhi more options, it is unclear how soon or how much the country would actually buy, especially since it has often relied on cheaper Russian oil in the past.

At a time when global oil markets are of great interest, Trump’s statement is a strong move in terms of energy and geopolitics. It could indicate shifting alliances in how major countries obtain and protect their oil at a time of sanctions, tariffs and diplomatic tensions.