India to purchase Venezuelan oil as an alternative of Iranian crude, claims Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that India will likely be buying oil from Venezuela as an alternative of Iran.

Chatting with reporters aboard Air Pressure One whereas flying to Palm Seashore in Florida on Saturday (January 31, 2026), Mr. Trump made the remarks whereas responding to a query on whether or not China would get well cash it had lent to Venezuela in change for oil provides.

“China is welcome to return in and would make an incredible deal on oil. We welcome China. We’ve already made a deal. India is coming in, and so they’re going to be shopping for Venezuelan oil versus shopping for it from Iran. So we’ve already made that deal, the idea of the deal,” he stated.

There was no fast response from New Delhi on Trump’s feedback.

India had been a significant purchaser of Iranian oil till 2019, when imports had been considerably decreased following the reimposition of U.S. sanctions on Tehran.

Mr. Trump’s feedback come in opposition to the backdrop of U.S. sanctions on Iran and Venezuela and its stress on main energy-importing nations to keep away from shopping for crude from nations underneath restrictions.

In recent times, India considerably elevated its purchases of discounted Russian crude, making Russia one in every of its largest oil suppliers.

The U.S. has imposed 50% tariffs on India, together with 25% for its purchases of Russian oil.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (January 30, 2026) held a phone dialog with Venezuela’s Performing President Delcy Rodríguez, throughout which each leaders agreed to additional deepen and develop bilateral ties.

The Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) stated in an announcement that the 2 leaders agreed to additional develop and deepen the India-Venezuela partnership in all areas, together with commerce and funding, vitality, digital expertise, well being, agriculture and people-to-people ties.

“Each leaders exchanged views on varied regional and world problems with mutual curiosity and underscored the significance of their shut cooperation for the International South,” the MEA had stated.