Opening a fresh bilateral chapter between India and Venezuela, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Thursday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation across a range of sectors, including energy, trade, investment, healthcare and automobiles.
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said, “Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the bilateral partnership and advancing the interests of the Global South."
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The discussions also covered regional and global issues of mutual interest, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to advancing the interests of the Global South and deepening the India-Venezuela partnership. The meeting comes at a time when New Delhi is seeking to diversify its energy imports amid disruptions in global oil supplies.
Energy cooperation figured prominently in the talks, with India increasing its purchases of Venezuelan crude in recent months. Venezuela has emerged as an important supplier as India looks to secure stable energy sources and reduce its dependence on traditional suppliers affected by geopolitical tensions.
Rodríguez, who arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday on a five-day visit, is leading a high-level delegation aimed at expanding engagement across multiple sectors.
Besides energy, the two sides discussed opportunities for greater collaboration in investment, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, transportation and renewable energy.
India was once among the largest buyers of Venezuelan crude, importing over 400,000 barrels per day before purchases were halted due to international sanctions and compliance concerns.
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With oil imports from Venezuela resuming, Indian refiners have significantly increased sourcing from the South American nation in recent weeks.
The leaders underscored the importance of maintaining close cooperation and agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties through sustained engagement and economic partnership.
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