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

Trump claims India may buy Venezuelan oil instead of Iran. An explainer on sanctions, geopolitics and what it means for global energy trade.

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

Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One on Saturday, he claimed that “India is coming in, and they are going to be buying Venezuelan oil as opposed to buying it from Iran. So, we have already made that deal, the concept of the deal”.

His statement highlighted what he described as a strategic alignment in the global energy market and suggested China could also take part in similar arrangements.

President Trump’s comments come as US sanctions on Iranian oil have kept India’s imports from Tehran very low for years. Because of this, Indian refiners have turned to Russian oil, which has brought pressure from Washington due to sanctions on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

In recent months, the US administration has been tightening the screws on oil supply decisions. Last year, Trump doubled tariffs on Indian exports to the United States to discourage New Delhi from buying Russian oil and imposed additional levies tied to purchases of Venezuelan crude. This week, the White House eased some sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry in a move it said would help “flow existing product” and pave the way for more US company involvement.

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

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

Across global diplomatic circles, reactions to Trump’s announcement vary. Some analysts see the stated change as part of Washington’s broader strategy to reduce Russia’s leverage in global energy markets and to exert influence over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, especially after recent political upheavals in Caracas.

At the same time, commentators say that Trump’s remarks are an assertion from the US side and that neither the Indian government nor Venezuela has publicly confirmed that formal contracts or imports have begun.

India’s energy imports depend on factors like 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 will actually buy, especially since it has often relied on cheaper Russian oil in the past.

With global oil markets paying close attention, Trump’s statement is a strong move in energy and geopolitics. It could show changing alliances in how major countries get and protect their oil during a time of sanctions, tariffs and diplomatic tensions.