Venezuela’s acting President to visit India; energy security tops agenda

VEnezuela’s playacting chair Delcy Rodríguez testament see bharat this week for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed at bolstering bilateral ties against the backdrop of growing energy cooperation, with the South American state becoming the country’s third largest supplier of oil this month.Rodríguez, who was earlier scheduled to attend the International Big Cat Alliance Summit in New Delhi on June 1, which has been deferred, will make a working visit to the country during June 3-7, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Tuesday.She will hold talks with Modi on June 4, with the discussions expected to explore avenues for cooperation in energy security, trade, investment, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and transportation. She will also visit several facilities connected with the energy, pharmaceutical and automobile sectors to explore opportunities for collaboration, Jaiswal said.Rodríguez, who earlier served as foreign minister and vice president, became acting head of the government of Venezuela in January after US troops captured and abducted President Nicolas Maduro during an operation in Caracas.Since then, she has worked closely with the Trump administration in the US, which has eased sanctions on countries buying oil from Venezuela and controls proceeds from energy sales through bank accounts administered by the US treasury department.The visit comes at a time when India, the third largest oil importer, has been diversifying energy purchases following supply disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the US-Iran conflict. India was the second largest importer of Venezuelan crude in May with purchases of 427,000 barrels a day, Reuters reported.Venezuela emerged as India’s third largest oil supplier, after Russia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in May, with daily figures for the month almost double the volumes recorded in April. India did not import any oil from Venezuela in the previous nine months, and purchases picked up after the US eased its 25% discretionary tariffs.State-run ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL), which has equity participation in two oil exploration projects in Venezuela, has been unable to repatriate more than $500 million in dividends from the South American country, and the issue is expected to figure in discussions during the upcoming visit, people familiar with the matter said.Rodríguez, who will be accompanied by a delegation including the ministers of foreign affairs, finance, science and technology, communication and information, and transportation, is no stranger to India.She visited the country in her former capacity as foreign minister in 2015, and as vice president in 2019, 2023, 2024 and 2025. She is also a devotee of Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Baba and has visited his ashram during past visits.Jaiswal said India has been an “important partner” of Venezuela in energy and investment, and Indian state-run firms, which have made significant investments in the South American country’s energy sector, are “keen to explore opportunities for further enhancing their presence”.The two sides also enjoy friendly relations, underpinned by cooperation in energy and trade and a shared commitment to the Global South. “The visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral ties and deepen engagement between the two countries across diverse sectors,” he said.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who visited New Delhi last month, created a flutter in diplomatic circles by first announcing Rodríguez’s trip to the country while talking to reporters before departing from Washington for a tour that included India. At the time, Rubio also spoke about the US’s plans to sell India as “much energy as they’ll buy”. He added, “We also think there are opportunities with Venezuelan oil.”