New Delhi, June 4: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodriguez engaged in discussions about establishing an energy partnership on Thursday. According to information shared by the Ministry of External Affairs, the two leaders held significant talks focused on business and energy matters.
During a special briefing regarding Rodriguez’s visit, Rudrendra Tandon, Secretary (East) of the Ministry, stated that the discussions were crucial and business-oriented. He emphasized that Venezuela has viewed India as a stable energy consumer for many years.
Tandon noted, “Acting President Delcy Rodriguez is on a working visit to India from June 3 to 6, accompanied by a large ministerial delegation, including ministers of foreign affairs, communication and information, economy and finance, science and technology, as well as transportation. This morning, she met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for official talks over lunch. Prior to this, Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar also met her, and later, the Petroleum Minister will hold discussions with her.”
He further stated, “Venezuela possesses one of the largest oil reserves in the world. The Indian economy is a major and growing consumer of oil, with stable demand expected for years to come. Therefore, we see a perfect complementarity in the energy sector. In fact, in our spot purchases, Venezuela has already emerged as the third-largest supplier this month, indicating that today’s discussions were focused on building an energy partnership. While not delving into the details of the talks, it was clear that Venezuela’s energy sector is undergoing significant changes. They view India as a stable demander for many years ahead, creating opportunities for collaboration in both upstream and downstream sectors.”
Earlier in the day, PM Modi and Rodriguez met at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, with Foreign Minister Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and other officials also present.
Tandon mentioned that during the meeting, Venezuela acknowledged that India has stood by them in both good and challenging times. Venezuela sees India as a preferred partner for the future.
Secretary Tandon added, “Overall, I would say the discussions were very business-like and necessary. There was genuine warmth between both delegations, and Venezuela recognized that India has supported them through thick and thin. This is a long-standing relationship, and we aim to be their preferred partner moving forward.”
Rodriguez arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday for a five-day visit, aiming to deepen the ties between the two nations. This marks her sixth visit to India. Previously, she visited in 2015 as Venezuela’s Foreign Minister and again in 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025 as Vice President.
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