Chennai: Reliance Industries Limited (India) has categorically denied any suggestion that it ever sidestepped US sanctions in supplying products to Venezuela.
“Since the imposition of US sanctions, Reliance has been in continuous communication with the US Department of State regarding its activities in Venezuela. Reliance has been transparent with US authorities and also has provided detailed feedback to the US Department of State as they were formulating and adjusting US policy regarding product shipments to Venezuela,” said RIL in its statement.
“Reliance not only has complied with US sanctions laws, but also has done its best to adjust its dealings with Venezuela on a voluntary basis to reflect the ongoing changes in US policy,” it added.
Reliance states that it stopped shipments of diluent naphtha to Venezuela, and has reduced its purchases of Venezuelan crude oil to well below its contracted levels.
“Reliance’s few transportation fuel shipments to Venezuela, treated as offsets for crude oil receipts, were committed and in-transit when there were no specific restrictions to such transactions. They were all fuels refined in India. Reliance will continue its transactions in full compliance of prevailing sanctions,” the statement read.