EFE – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio departed India on Thursday after a visit focused on expanding energy cooperation and promoting the processing of Venezuelan oil at Indian refineries, as Washington seeks to diversify global crude oil supplies.
“I just left India after advancing our economic and strategic priorities in the region,” Rubio said on his X account, emphasizing that stronger economic ties and energy-security cooperation benefit both countries.
The top U.S. diplomat concluded his visit with a tour of the Jamnagar refining complex in the western state of Gujarat, owned by the conglomerate Reliance Industries. There, he held talks with billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his son Anant.
Ahead of the meeting, Rubio said Washington intended to encourage Reliance to process larger volumes of Venezuelan crude oil and even explore investments in oil production in the South American country.
The Jamnagar facilities, which can process approximately 1.4 million barrels per day, rank among the world’s leading refining centers capable of handling Venezuela’s extra-heavy crude oil.
Reliance confirmed that the discussions covered opportunities for cooperation in conventional energy, new energy technologies, and digital infrastructure, although the company announced no specific purchasing or investment commitments.
The U.S. initiative comes as India seeks to diversify its energy supplies and Washington aims to reduce the share of Russian oil in India’s imports, one of the world’s largest crude oil consumers.
Rubio’s agenda also included meetings in Mumbai with his Indian counterpart, S. Jaishankar, and prominent business leaders, including Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, and N. Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons.
During his visit, the secretary of state expressed optimism about ongoing trade negotiations between Washington and New Delhi, but clarified that the respective trade teams would decide when to finalize the bilateral agreement.
Rubio left India without meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi or visiting New Delhi, following an itinerary focused on the country’s major business and energy hubs in western India.
