Venezuela and India: so far, so close? (Updated)

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Caracas, Venezuela, 19 April 2008.  Bilateral relations between India and Venezuela are thought to have improved during the Presidency of Hugo Chavez and the premiership of the Indian Congress party. However, the recent Latin American trip of Indian President Pratibha Patil did not include Caracas at all. Patil tour just included neighbouring Brazil, Chile and Mexico.  Had President Patil visited Venezuela, she would have been met by a socialist government with many women in top positions. 

The last high Indian visit to Venezuela was in 1968 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi called on Caracas. Now the absence of the Venezuelan leg in Patil´s 12-day-tour could be interpreted as a cautious approach to the Chavez administration at the political front. It could also be the consequences of yet another overwhelming example of the failing Venezuelan foreign policy under Minister Nicolas Maduro. Under his tutelage, the foreign policy has been characterized by a pret a porter anti imperialism. Furthermore, on many occasions, Presidential direct diplomacy has come to rescue very important initiatives he could not hadle.   During a visit to India in March 2005, President Hugo Chavez himself signed an oil cooperation agreement with India. Under its term, Indian oil company ONGC was allowed to exploit heavy oil in Venezuelan orinoco basin.  Such agreemient fell within Indian strategic plans and oil needs.   India imports 70% of its oil needs mostly from the Middle East. In the last few years, it has tried to diversify its energy imports from less volatile sources.

In a further refinement of such strategy and just over two weeks ago, the Indian Oil and Natural Gas Minister, Muril Deora, visited Caracas. Deora signed another oil joint venture -Petrolera Indo Venezolana - to drill oil and gas at the San Cristobal petroleum field. It is now expected Petrolera Indo Venezolana would pump 232.38 million barrels over 25 years. According to Asian Times, Venezuela plans to ship 200,000 barrels of heavy crude a day to India for refining. India now expects to get a share in the gas production sector in Venezuela too. Nevertheless,  better political and commercial relations have not been accompanied by such oil approach and investments.

Other Latin American countries visited by President Patil have seen commerce and political cooperation florishing along economic partnership.   In Brazil, Indian President Pratibha Patil agreed her country would cooperate in international issues such as hunger aliviation, Doha Trade talks, IBSA, terrorism and the UN security Council.  In Mexico and unlike Venezuela, Patil launched a new phase of bilateral relations and signed energy and aviation cooperation agreements.

PS: Indian President is expected in Chile on Sunday 20 April 2008. Chile is the second commercial partner of India in the region. In 2007, their commercial exchange reached US$ 457 millions alone. India ranks as the 10th export destination country for Chilean exports.   

Sources: BBC Mundo, Asian Times, President of India, El Universal, VTV, Congo, Oneindia, Mumbay News, Prensa Latina,