Hardeep Singh Puri meets Rodriguez, says "technical team will visit Venezuela soon to explore opportunities in energy"
New Delhi, June 5
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri met Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez in New Delhi on Thursday.
In a post on X, Puri said that a technical team from India would soon visit Venezuela to study opportunities in the energy sector.
"Called on the Acting President of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela HE @delcyrodriguezv today with the leadership of @PetroleumMin and CMDs of India's energy sector PSUs. India has a long-standing energy partnership with Venezuela since 2008 and shares unique complimentarities with the country. Venezuela possesses biggest proven reserves of oil in the world, while India not only possesses huge demand for energy but also has the technological expertise and manpower to refine Venezuelan crude in our refineries. Venezuela is already among the largest crude oil suppliers to India in April & May 2026, which is a reflection of the future potential. Our technical team will visit Venezuela soon to further explore this potential," Puri said.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas further said Indian oil and gas companies already have existing investments in Venezuela and are seeking new collaboration opportunities to enhance the bilateral energy partnership.
"Indian companies already have existing investments in Venezuela and now look forward to building upon them, in addition to looking for newer opportunities for fruitful collaborations which will provide momentum to our quest towards energy security," he added.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Acting President of Venezuela held extensive discussions on expanding cooperation in a range of areas, including energy, critical minerals and technology.
In a post on X, PM Modi said India's close cooperation with Venezuela holds immense importance for the Global South.
"Happy to meet with the Acting President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez. We had extensive discussions on expanding our cooperation in energy, critical minerals, technology, agriculture, health and people-to-people ties. As a valued partner in Latin America, our close cooperation with Venezuela holds immense importance for the Global South. We will continue to work together for the mutual benefit of the people of our nations," he said.
During their meeting, the two leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and explored new avenues of cooperation in energy, trade, investment, healthcare, and automobiles, among others.
The leaders also exchanged views on global and regional issues of mutual interest.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the bilateral partnership and advancing the interests of the Global South.
Meanwhile, Delcy Eloina Rodriguez Gomez is on a five-day visit to India.
India has been an important partner of Venezuela in the areas of energy and investment. Indian PSUs have made significant investments in Venezuela in the energy sector, and they are keen to explore opportunities for further enhancing their presence.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting development. I remember Venezuela's economy has been struggling with sanctions. Is India risking anything by engaging with them? But the Global South cooperation angle is strong. PM Modi rightly highlighted people-to-people ties. As long as our investments are secure, this can be win-win.
Good diplomatic move. Venezuela is rich in critical minerals too, mentioned in PM's post. For India's tech sector and green transition, we need lithium and rare earths. Hope the technical team also looks beyond oil. This could be a comprehensive partnership, not just energy but also technology and agriculture.
Finally! India leveraging its refining expertise. For years, we imported Venezuelan crude but now we are sending technical teams. This shows India's growing global stature. However, we must be cautious about political instability in Venezuela. Bilateral agreements with proper safeguards are needed. Overall, very positive step.
Respect to Hardeep Singh Puri for pushing this forward. Energy security is national priority. Venezuela was already among top crude suppliers to India in April-May 2026. This technical team can unlock more. Also good to see PM Modi giving importance to Global South. But hope we don't get entangled in geopolitical issues. Focus on mutual benefit only.
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