Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez will visit India this week for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed at strengthening bilateral ties against the backdrop of growing energy cooperation, with the South American nation becoming the country’s third-largest oil supplier this month.
Rodriguez, who was earlier scheduled to attend the Big Cat Alliance’s international summit in New Delhi on June 1, which was postponed, will pay a working visit to the country from June 3 to 7, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said on Tuesday.
She will hold talks with Modi on June 4, and the discussions are expected to explore ways of cooperation in the areas of energy security, trade, investment, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and transportation. She will also visit several facilities associated with the energy, pharmaceutical and automobile sectors to explore collaboration opportunities, Jaiswal said.
Rodriguez, who previously served as Secretary of State and Vice President, became acting head of Venezuela’s government in January after US forces captured and kidnapped President Nicolas Maduro during an operation in Caracas.
Since then, it has worked closely with the Trump administration in the United States, which has eased sanctions on countries buying oil from Venezuela and controlled revenues from energy sales through bank accounts managed by the US Treasury.
The visit comes at a time when India, the third largest oil importer, is working to diversify its energy purchases after the supply disruptions resulting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the US-Iranian conflict. Reuters reported that India was the second largest importer of Venezuelan crude in May, with purchases reaching 427,000 barrels per day.
Venezuela emerged as India’s third-largest oil supplier, after Russia and the United Arab Emirates, in May, with daily figures for the month nearly double the volumes recorded in April. India did not import any oil from Venezuela in the previous nine months, and purchases rebounded after the United States reduced its discretionary tariffs by 25%.
State-run ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), which shares equity in two oil exploration projects in Venezuela, has been unable to repatriate more than $500 million in profits from the South American country, and the issue is expected to come up in discussions during the next visit, people familiar with the matter said.
Rodriguez, who will be accompanied by a delegation that includes the ministers of foreign affairs, finance, science and technology, communications and information, and transport, is no stranger to India.
She visited the country in her previous capacity as Secretary of State in 2015, and as Vice President in 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025. She is also a devotee of Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Baba and had visited his ashram during previous visits.
Jaiswal said India was an “important partner” for Venezuela in energy and investment, and Indian state-run companies, which have made significant investments in the South American country’s energy sector, were “keen to explore opportunities to further strengthen their presence.”
The two sides also enjoy friendly relations, underpinned by energy and trade cooperation and a shared commitment to the Global South. He said: “The visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations and deepen engagement between the two countries in various sectors.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who visited New Delhi last month, caused a shock in diplomatic circles when he first announced Rodriguez’s trip to the country while speaking to reporters before leaving Washington for a tour that included India. At the time, Rubio also spoke of US plans to sell India “as much energy as it buys.” “We also believe there are opportunities with Venezuelan oil,” he added.
