PM Modi's call with Venezuela's Delcy Rodriguez days before India-US trade deal in focus after Trump's Russian oil claim

PM Modi and Donald Trump

After India and US announced a trade deal late on Monday night, the focus is back on a telephonic call that took place between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodriguez.

This is because of US President Donald Trump's claim that India has agreed to stop buying Russian Oil - which was one of the US President's demands, over which, he had also imposed punitive tariffs of an additional 25% on India.

On January 30, in a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “Spoke with Acting President of Venezuela, Ms. Delcy Rodríguez. We agreed to further deepen and expand our bilateral partnership in all areas, with a shared vision of taking India-Venezuela relations to new heights in the years ahead.”

The timing attracted scrutiny as Trump, in his trade deal announcement, explicitly named Venezuela, alongside the US, as a possible alternative source for India’s crude oil imports. Venezuelan crude is broadly comparable in grade to the heavier Russian oil used by several Indian refineries, although analysts caution that supply limitations could restrict the scope for a complete replacement.

Announcing the agreement after his latest phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump said Washington would reduce tariffs on Indian goods from 50 per cent to 18 per cent. He claimed that India had agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil and replace those imports with supplies from the United States and Venezuela, along with making other trade commitments.

Trump said the change in India’s oil sourcing would also support efforts to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.