India's Reliance in talks for US permit to buy Venezuelan oil

India’s Reliance Industries is seeking U.S. approval to resume purchases of Venezuelan crude, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, as the private refiner looks to secure supplies amid Western pressure on India to cut Russian oil imports.

Reliance’s representatives are in discussions with the U.S. State and Treasury departments to obtain the authorization, the sources said, as Washington and Caracas progress in negotiations to ship 50 million barrels of oil in the aftermath of the U.S. capture of President Nicolas Maduro.

The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters email requesting comment on the authorization request.

The Indian conglomerate had received licenses from Washington in past years to import crude from U.S.-sanctioned Venezuela for its refining complex, the world’s largest.

Venezuela’s oil company PDVSA delivered Reliance four crude cargoes, or some 63,000 barrels per day, in the first four months of 2025 under those authorizations, according to PDVSA’s internal records. The U.S. suspended most licenses to PDVSA’s business partners between March and April and threatened Venezuela’s oil buyers with tariffs as it increased pressure on Maduro.

Reliance said on Thursday that it would consider resuming purchases of Venezuelan crude if sales to non-U.S. buyers are permitted under U.S. regulations.

A U.S. Treasury spokesperson said the department would not comment on specific licenses or requests, adding it is “fully committed to supporting President Donald Trump’s efforts on behalf of the people of Venezuela.”

Chevron, Vitol, Trafigura and other oil companies are vying for licenses and control over Venezuelan oil exports. Trump is meeting with oil executives at the White House later on Friday. The South American producer has millions of barrels of crude stuck in onshore tanks and vessels.

U.S. officials have said they would control Venezuelan oil exports indefinitely, and that some oil would flow to non-U.S. buyers. Trump said China, the largest buyer of Venezuelan oil, will not be deprived of barrels.

Reliance is willing to buy Venezuelan oil from U.S. companies and others with drilling rights in Venezuela if crude is offered at attractive rates, said one of the sources.

Venezuelan oil supplies could help replace some Russian supplies to India. Reliance was the biggest Indian buyer of Russian oil but has said it would not receive any cargo of Russian crude this month as India is under pressure from Trump to stop importing Russian barrels.

Reliance’s two refineries in western Gujarat state, with a combined capacity of about 1.4 million bpd of crude oil, allow it to process cheaper and heavier crudes such as Venezuela’s Merey.

Reliance and PDVSA have a long-standing relationship, and India was the third-most important market for Venezuela’s crude before the U.S. imposed sanctions on oil trade, taking some 400,000 bpd.