India feasting on Venezuelan oil as United States bans its imports

India is feasting on Venezuelan oil, after the U.S. imposed a de facto ban on crude imports from the Latin American nation.

While flows to the U.S. came to a halt, India became the No. 1 buyer of Venezuelan crude in the first half of February, with imports jumping 66 per cent to 620,000 barrels a day. Indian refiners Reliance Industries Ltd and Nayara Energy Ltd, which is backed by Rosneft Oil Co PJSC, are driving the boost.

Still, Venezuelan crude exports have plunged since U.S. President Donald Trump ratcheted up sanctions against the country’s oil company. Shipments of oil, the commodity