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Indian Oil waits for sanctions relief extension to resume Venezuelan oil buy

India's top refiner Indian Oil Corp will think about resumption of Venezuelan oil purchases if the US continues with a relaxation in sanctions against the OPECproducer, the Indian company's chairman stated on Tuesday.

IOC is arranged to get a cargo of Venezuelan oil next month, according to LSEG trade flow.

The refiner also got a parcel of Venezuelan oil last month.

We will consider purchasing Venezuelan oil if the relief provided now stays and if Venezuelan unrefined makes business sense for us, Shrikant Madhav Vaidya informed .

The U.S. in 2015 unwinded sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry until April 18 in return for promises to open its governmental election to global observers and the opposition's favored prospect, something that hasn't. taken place.

LSEG data shows that Indian refiners- IOC and Reliance. Industries Ltd - are not lifting Venezuelan oil in. April.

If a license approved in October reducing the sanctions is not. restored next month, state oil company PDVSA would most likely. go back to using intermediaries to sell its oil to buyers such as. China, likely at discounts.

India previously stopped import of Venezuelan oil in 2020. after the US imposed sanctions, and resumed purchases just last. year after Washington alleviated limitation on the South American. nation's oil sector for six months.

India is the world's third-biggest oil importer and. consumer, shipping over 80% of its oil requires from overseas. It. wants to cut its unrefined import costs and is wanting to expand its. refining.

(source: Reuters)