# India’s crude imports from Venezuela jump amid Hormuz disruptions 2026-08-21T20:57:32+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets India's crude oil imports from Venezuela have risen sharply since purchases resumed in April, with the South American nation becoming the fourth-largest supplier to India in August, according to Kpler data. Venezuelan shipments stood at around 371,000 barrels per day in August, compared with 106,000 bpd from Iraq and 138,000 bpd from the US. Russia remains India's largest crude source, with August imports approaching 2 million bpd. The increase in Venezuelan supplies is part of a broader diversification strategy as disruptions along the Strait of Hormuz due to the Iran conflict prompt India to seek alternative sources. The Times of India reports that Latin American supplies, including Venezuela and Brazil, increased their share of India's import basket to 12.7 per cent during April-July from 3.5 per cent a year earlier, while the Middle East's share dropped to around 30 per cent. Experts caution that longer shipping routes from Latin America raise freight and insurance costs. Sumit Ritolia of Kpler told PTI that diversification helps supply security but cannot fully insulate India from geopolitics, as major disruptions feed through into higher oil prices and import costs. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both outlets present the same core facts on rising Venezuelan and Russian crude imports, but their emphasis differs. The Times of India leads with Venezuela's emergence as a key supplier and frames the shift as a strategic diversification away from Middle Eastern chokepoints, citing Kpler data prominently. The Print focuses on the question of over-dependence on Russian oil, quoting analysts on sanctions and shipping risks. The Times omits discussion of Russia-related risks, while The Print gives space to the flexibility argument from Grant Thornton Bharat. A balanced reading: India is diversifying geographically but concentrating volume in Russia, a trade-off between supply security and geopolitical exposure. The cost impact of any future shift away from Russian barrels is the number to track. On Venezuela, Kpler data shows August shipments at 371,000 bpd. The Print reports 400,000 bpd for August. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Straight reporting of trade data and expert quotes, no evaluative framing. - theprint.in (neutral report) Presents both risks of Russian dependence and counterarguments from experts, no editorialising. This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-24T17:16:54+00:00. Tags: crude oil, India, Kpler, Strait of Hormuz, Sumit Ritolia, Venezuela Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/venezuela-becomes-key-oil-supplier-to-india-amid-hormuz-disruptions/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/venezuela-becomes-key-oil-supplier-to-india-amid-hormuz-disruptions/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/