- India agreed to diversify energy sources in a US interim trade deal, says US envoy
- US tariffs on India reduced from 50% to 18% under the pending interim agreement
- US President Trump wants an end to Russian oil purchases amid the Ukraine war
The United States is in “active negotiation” over the sale of Venezuelan crude oil to India, as part of efforts to help New Delhi diversify its energy imports, US Envoy Sergio Gor said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi, Gor said Washington is engaging directly with Indian authorities to facilitate potential supplies from Venezuela, in line with broader discussions on trade and energy cooperation.
“The Department of Energy is speaking to the Ministry of Energy here, and so we're hoping to have some news of that very soon,” he said.
He also said that India has made a commitment regarding its purchases of Russian oil as part of an interim trade agreement with the US. He also expressed confidence that the deal will be formally signed “very soon”.
Speaking about ongoing negotiations between New Delhi and Washington, Gor reiterated that India has agreed to diversify its energy sourcing. The understanding was reached after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump held a phone call on Feb. 2 to advance discussions on a trade pact.
“On the oil, there's an agreement. We have seen India diversify its oil. There is a commitment. This is not about India. The United States doesn't want anyone buying Russian oil. The President has been very clear on this and wants this war to end,” Gor said.
He added that Washington's position is rooted in its broader objective of ending the Russia-Ukraine War. “The US doesn't want anyone buying Russia. The President has been very clear on this – he wants to end this war. So anyone who is, in a way, still involved with that conflict is something that the President wants to see come to an end in hopes of peace coming with that,” he said.
While the Indian government has neither confirmed nor denied that it will halt Russian oil imports, it has maintained that national interest guides its energy procurement decisions and that it will continue to rely on multiple sources to ensure energy security.
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Trade Deal Nearing Signature
Gor confirmed that officials from both sides are continuing to fine-tune the interim agreement and suggested that the signing could take place imminently.
“The signing will happen very soon. Even this week, we have both teams talking to each other and actively getting to a place where both will be able to sign,” he said.
Describing the scope of the proposed pact, Gor noted that it involves “tens of thousands of points”, reflecting the complexity of negotiations between the United States and one of the world's largest economies. “We're thrilled that the interim deal is done. You have a few tweaking points that are left to do, but it's done. So the signing will happen sooner rather than later,” he added.
Under the interim arrangement, the US administration reduced overall tariffs on India from 50%that also included a 25% punitive levy linked to Russian oil purchases, to 18%. President Trump had earlier announced that New Delhi had agreed to halt Russian oil imports as part of the understanding.
Gor clarified that the removal and recalibration of tariffs involves several administrative processes. “The executive order specifically on oil was already signed. The second part, on the tariffs being rebalanced, involves multiple mechanisms. It's not just one piece of paper. It's multiple things, multiple departments, multiple areas. And so that will also happen very soon,” he said.
The US envoy also announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to visit India “very soon”, signalling deepening ties as both countries navigate economic, strategic and diplomatic priorities.
Gor further hinted at a potential meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump. “Stay tuned, I'm sure it'll happen at the right moment,” he said, without offering further details.
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