Venezuela to Jamnagar? 'That's a naughty question' MEA Secretary responds to reporter on India's oil trade

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) held a press briefing on Thursday (June 4), where a journalist enquired about India's trade plans with Venezuela, specifically asking if the oil would go directly to refineries in Jamnagar, in the western state of Gujarat. Responding to the question on dealings with the prominent crude oil exporter, MEA Secretary Rudrendra Tandon said, “That’s a naughty question.” This comes after Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez meets with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. She is currently in the country for a five-day high-level delegation visit, which has opened up opportunities for private market players to trade with Venezuela. The mention of that specific location, Jamnagar, which happens to be the stronghold of a major conglomerate, elicited his lighthearted response.

Elaborating on the impact of the West Asia war on India, Tandon added, “The government of India will buy oil from wherever; the problems in the Middle East have led all governments, including India, to aggressively seek to diversify their sources. So, we will do that…we are a large customer of crude oil; we are growing and going to be a stable consumer of oil.”

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“So, producers around the world look at us as useful relations to have, as it will endure them from spikes in the energy market as sellers. We will go where there is oil at a good price," he concluded.

What began as a US-Israel joint military strike in Iran on February 28 has spread across the region far and beyond. Following the attack which killed Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, Tehran conducted airstrikes on American bases in West Asia. And as a ripple effect, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Lebanon have also been targets of drones and missiles. Later, leading to the Strait of Hormuz blockade, which contributed to the situation back home in India.

This visit is looked at as crucial, as India has become the second-largest importer of Venezuelan crude oil, right behind the US. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met with Rodriguez in the national capital, reaffirming India's commitment to reinforcing bilateral ties. In a post on X, Jaishankar stated he was pleased to call on the Acting President and expressed deep appreciation for her enduring commitment to the India-Venezuela relationship. He noted that her meeting with Prime Minister Modi would serve to further strengthen cooperation between the two nations.