India is moving towards ramping up crude oil imports from Venezuela, according to government sources, following high-level discussions between Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez. The meeting, attended by senior officials from India’s Petroleum Ministry and top executives of state-run energy companies, signals a potential deepening of energy ties between the two countries.

In a statement, Puri highlighted the “long-standing energy partnership” between India and Venezuela, emphasizing strong complementarities. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, while India offers significant refining capacity and technical expertise suited to processing heavy crude.

Venezuela has already emerged among India’s top crude suppliers in April and May 2026, indicating a steady revival in trade flows that were previously impacted by geopolitical constraints and sanctions.

Sources indicate that India is now actively exploring avenues to scale up imports further. A technical delegation is expected to visit Venezuela soon to assess operational and commercial feasibility.

Indian firms with existing investments in Venezuelan oil assets are also expected to expand their footprint, aligning with New Delhi’s broader strategy to diversify energy sources and strengthen long-term energy security.