India-Venezuela Bilateral Relations
International Relations
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
UPSC frequently asks about India's bilateral relations with various countries, especially those with strategic economic (energy) or geopolitical significance, and their implications for India's foreign policy and economic interests.
India and Venezuela share traditionally warm bilateral relations, characterized by cooperation in the energy sector, trade, and convergence of views on major international issues, reflecting a shared commitment to the Global South.
Facts & tables
- Historical Ties
- Rooted in cooperation in the energy sector and a shared commitment to the Global South.
- Economic Engagement
- Bilateral trade stood at $678.94 million in 2025-26; Venezuela is a major crude oil supplier to India.
- Sectoral Cooperation
- Includes energy (ONGC Videsh JV), pharmaceuticals (India supplying to Venezuela), AYUSH, digital solutions, critical minerals, and cultural exchanges.
- Multilateral Support
- Venezuela supports India's bid for permanent membership in the UN Security Council.
| Sector | Details |
|---|---|
| Energy | Venezuela is a major crude oil supplier; ONGC Videsh JV |
| Trade | Bilateral trade $678.94 million (2025-26); India supplies pharmaceuticals |
| Multilateral | Venezuela supports India's UNSC permanent membership bid |
| New Avenues | Critical minerals, automobile sector, digital solutions |
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | International Relations |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) | Manages bilateral relations |
| ONGC Videsh Limited | Engages in energy sector joint ventures |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Statement-based questions
Prelims angle: Factual recall
- Long-standing warm relations, shared Global South commitment.
- Key energy partner for India (crude oil, ONGC Videsh).
- Growing trade, especially pharmaceuticals from India.
- Venezuela supports India's UNSC permanent membership.
- Exploring new areas like critical minerals and digital solutions.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2025 | Factual recall, Conceptual understanding |
| 2024 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2022 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2019 | Factual recall, Policy measures |
| 2015 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2015 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
Timeline
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International Relations
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2015
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2015
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2019
Factual recall, Policy measures
-
Prelims 2022
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2024
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2025
Factual recall, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2026
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
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Why is India’s relief mission to Venezuela named Operation Amistad?
India-Venezuela relations are strong, driven by energy cooperation (oil supply, ONGC Videsh), growing trade (pharmaceuticals), and shared views on global issues, including Venezuela's support for India's UNSC bid.
See also
Past papers
2015–2026 · 8 questions
In the news
Why is India’s relief mission to Venezuela named Operation Amistad?
India-Venezuela relations are strong, driven by energy cooperation (oil supply, ONGC Videsh), growing trade (pharmaceuticals), and shared views on global issues, including Venezuela's support for India's UNSC bid.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Recently, Venezuela has achieved a rapid recovery from its economic crisis and succeeded in preventing its people from fleeing/emigrating to other countries.
Statement-II: Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Statement-I: Incorrect. Venezuela continues to suffer from a severe economic crisis marked by hyperinflation, shortages of basic goods, and political instability. This crisis has led to a massive exodus of Venezuelans seeking better living conditions in neighboring countries and beyond. Statement-II: Correct. Venezuela indeed possesses the world's largest proven oil reserves, surpassing even Saudi Arabia. However, despite this vast resource wealth, economic mismanagement, corruption, and international sanctions have crippled its oil industry and hindered its ability to leverage this asset for economic recovery.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the 'Trade and Technology Council'
Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to begin technological progress and physical productivity under their control.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statement?
* Statement 1 is correct: Trade and Technology Council was launched by the the United States of America and the European Union during the EU-US Summit on 15 June 2021 in Brussels. * Statement 2 is incorrect: Trade and Technology council, the USA and EU does not aim to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control. Rather the initiative intends to promote pooling of digital resources such as AI models and computing power, and make them available to partner countries to address challenges in areas such as climate change and extreme weather, healthcare or smart agriculture.
India is one of the founding members of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multimodal transportation corridor, which will connect
The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a multimodal transport network aimed at boosting trade between India, Central Asia, Russia, and Europe, using a combination of sea, rail, and road routes via Iran. The corridor connects Mumbai → Bandar Abbas (Iran) → Azerbaijan → Russia → Europe, with access to Central Asia.
India is a member of which of the following?
1. Asia-Pacific economic corporation.
2. Association of South-East Asian Nations.
3. East Asia Summit
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): India is not a member of APEC. Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN): India is not a member of ASEAN, but it is a part of ASEAN6. East Asia Summit: India is a member of the East Asia Summit. Therefore, out of the given options, India is only a member of the East Asia Summit.
Consider the following statements:
1. Bidibidi is a large refugee settlement in north -western Kenya.
2. Some people who fled from South Sudan civil war live in Bidibidi.
3. Some people who fled from civil war in Somalia live in Dadaab refugee complex in Kenya.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is Incorrect: Bidibidi is a large refugee settlement in northwestern Uganda, not Kenya. Statement 2 is Correct: People fleeing the civil war in South Sudan have been hosted in the Bidibidi settlement. Statement 3 is Correct: The Dadaab refugee complex is located in Kenya and houses refugees, including those who fled the civil war in Somalia. Therefore, the correct statements are 2 and 3 only.
Show 3 more PYQs
With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC)’, Consider the following statements:
1. It was established very recently in response to incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills
2. It is an alliance meant for maritime security only
Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. IOR-ARC is a regional cooperation initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim countries. It was established in Mauritius in March 1997 with the aim of promoting economic and technical cooperation. IOR-ARC is the only pan-Indian ocean grouping. It brings together countries from three continents having different sizes, economic strengths, and a wide diversity of languages, cultures. Statement 2 is incorrect. It aims to create a platform for trade, socio-economic and cultural cooperation in the Indian Ocean rim area. The Indian Ocean Rim is rich in strategic and precious minerals, metals and other natural resources, marine resources and energy, all of which can be sourced from Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), continental shelves and the deep seabed.
The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany visited India in January, 2026. Which of the following is/are **not** correct in terms of outcomes of this visit ?
1. Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the All India Institute of Ayurveda and the University of Hamburg
2. Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Youth Hockey Development between Hockey India and the German Hockey Federation
3. Establishment of a bilateral dialogue mechanism on the Indo-Pacific
4. Opening of an Honorary Consul of Germany in Lucknow
Select the answer using the code given below :
Statement 1 is Incorrect: During the visit, an MoU was signed to strengthen cooperation in traditional medicine between Gujarat Ayurveda University and German institutions. (An earlier MoU in late 2025 was agreed upon between the All India Institute of Ayurveda and Charité Universitätsmedizin in Berlin, not the University of Hamburg). Statement 2 is Correct: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Youth Hockey Development was officially signed between Hockey India and the German Hockey Federation. Statement 3 is Correct: The two nations announced the establishment of a new bilateral dialogue mechanism on the Indo-Pacific, alongside a Track 1.5 Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue. Statement 4 is Incorrect: Following the Chancellor's focus on Gujarat, Germany announced the appointment of an Honorary Consul in Ahmedabad to foster closer cooperation in the western region, rather than in Lucknow. Since the question asks for the statements that are not correct, statements 1 and 4 fit the criteria. Therefore, the correct option is B.
Recently, India signed a deal known as ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with which of the following countries?
* India signed the ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with Russia. * India and Russia have a long-standing strategic partnership in the field of civil nuclear cooperation. * The agreement aims to enhance collaboration in areas such as nuclear fuel cycle management, nuclear power projects, and research in nuclear science and technology. * Russia has been a key partner in India's nuclear energy sector, particularly through Rosatom, which has been involved in building Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu. * Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States have also engaged in nuclear cooperation with India but were not part of this specific agreement.