US Signals Green Light for India to Buy Venezuelan Oil — With a Powerful American Twist

Amid the ongoing global oil crisis, a major development has emerged from the United States that could impact India’s energy security. The Trump administration has indicated it may allow India to resume purchasing crude oil from Venezuela, a move that could ease pressure on India’s massive fuel requirements.

When a senior official from the Trump administration was asked whether India could turn back to Venezuela to meet its energy demand, the response was affirmative—but with a crucial condition attached. That condition has drawn global attention.

US Energy Secretary Christopher Wright clarified that Washington is open to allowing Venezuelan oil to be sold to nearly all countries, but only under a tightly controlled system. Under this arrangement, the US government itself would handle the marketing of the oil. All transactions would follow American rules, and payments would be routed through designated accounts approved by Washington.

In essence, while the oil would originate from Venezuela, control over sales, distribution, and revenue would rest firmly with the United States.

This strategy was reportedly outlined by Donald Trump during a high-level meeting at the White House with top executives from major oil companies. Trump made it clear that Venezuela would no longer have direct authority over its own oil trade. Instead, companies would negotiate directly with the US, not Caracas. Trump also stated that he would personally decide which American oil firms would operate in Venezuela and rebuild its energy infrastructure.

The former president also praised the US military for its role in operations linked to Venezuela and claimed that American companies are set to invest at least $100 billion in the country. Highlighting recent figures, Trump said the US had already received 30 million barrels of oil from Venezuela and would soon begin refining and selling up to 50 million barrels.

For India, this development could bring some relief in the form of cheaper crude oil. However, the deal comes with a clear caveat: the marketing, control, and financial flow of Venezuelan oil would remain firmly in American hands.