The White House has stated that it is prepared to allow India to purchase Venezuelan oil under a new system controlled by the United States, potentially reopening oil supplies that were previously blocked due to American sanctions. This move comes at a time when India’s energy demand is steadily rising.

A senior official from the Trump administration confirmed the development while speaking to IANS. When asked clearly whether the United States was prepared to let India resume buying Venezuelan crude oil, considering India’s large and growing energy needs, the official gave a direct response, “Yes.” However, the official also made it clear that the finer points of the arrangement are still under discussion.

The official referred to recent comments made by US Energy Secretary Christopher Wright, who said that Washington is open to selling Venezuelan oil to “almost all countries.” These remarks suggest a broader shift in the US approach toward Venezuelan oil exports, though under strict American oversight.

In an interview with Fox Business, Wright explained how this system would work. He said the US is allowing Venezuelan oil to flow again, but only through a tightly controlled structure. “So that oil, we’re allowing it to flow. Again, it’s marketed by the United States government. The money’s gonna flow into accounts,” Wright said. His statement underlined that the US government would manage both the sale of the oil and the flow of money from these transactions.

Before US sanctions disrupted trade, India was one of Venezuela’s largest buyers of crude oil. India mainly purchased heavy crude from Venezuela, which suited its complex refinery systems. If India regains access to Venezuelan oil, it could help the country diversify its sources of energy imports as domestic demand continues to increase.

Speaking separately at an energy conference in New York, Wright provided more details about the scale of the plan. He said the United States intends to market between 30 million and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil that are currently stored. After this initial phase, sales would continue from future production. According to Wright, this approach could change parts of the global oil trade, with Washington maintaining firm control over how Venezuelan oil is sold and distributed.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump also spoke about the plan, stating that the United States would refine and sell up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil under a new arrangement. This announcement follows the removal of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro from power.

Trump made these comments during a meeting with senior administration officials and executives from some of the world’s largest oil companies. He described the move as both a strong economic opportunity and a political reset. “Venezuela is going to be very successful,” Trump said. “We’re taking back what was taken from us,” he added, referring to Venezuela’s oil sector.

The US president also said that oil companies would invest “at least $100 billion dollars of their money” into Venezuela. This investment is part of Washington’s effort to revive oil production in the country, which holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves. Venezuela’s oil industry, however, has suffered for years due to sanctions, poor management, and a lack of investment.

Trump made it clear that the reopening of Venezuela’s oil sector would remain under strict US control. He said his administration would decide which companies would be allowed to invest, showing a hands-on approach to managing both investments and production levels.

Trump has also asked US oil companies to help repair Venezuela’s damaged oil infrastructure and sharply increase output. This task was described as something that would once have been seen as a rare, once-in-a-generation opportunity for the oil industry.

Under the plan announced this week, Venezuela would sell between 30 million and 50 million barrels of sanctioned crude oil to the United States. This announcement comes after the US captured and transferred Nicolás Maduro from Caracas to detention in the United States over the weekend, a major development that has significantly changed Venezuela’s political situation.

Currently, Venezuela has millions of barrels of crude oil stored in onshore tanks and vessels. These barrels have remained unsold due to sanctions and logistical problems. US officials told that Washington will control Venezuelan oil exports indefinitely, while still allowing some shipments to go to buyers outside the United States, including countries like India.