Trump’s Venezuela strategy is less about democracy and more about power: oil leverage, geopolitical signaling, and dismantling rival influence from Russia, China, and Iran. By framing pressure on Caracas as a war on drugs, Washington creates legal and political cover for escalation. For India, the fallout is tangible—sanctions disrupt crude supplies, stall ONGC Videsh investments, and expose the fragility of energy planning in a sanctions-driven world. Geopolitics, not markets, now dictates access.