India’s international oil ties risk U.S. displeasure

Latin America hasn’t always figured highly on India’s diplomatic agenda. But the recent visit to New Delhi by Hugo Chávez, the president of Venezuela – the first such trip by a Venezuelan leader – is seen as crucial for both countries. Steady economic growth over the past decade has caused a sharp spike in India’s energy requirements. As a result, Indian diplomats are looking beyond the Middle East to diversify oil supplies. This quest for securing energy could reshape South Asia’s geopolitical landscape and affect India’s diplomatic relations, particularly with the United States.
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Already sixth in global petroleum demand, India meets 70 percent of its needs through crude oil imports. By 2010, India should replace South Korea to emerge as the world’s fourth-largest energy consumer, after the United States, China and Japan.
International Herald Tribune