Jaishankar meets President Rodriguez, reaffirms commitment to stronger India-Venezuela partnership

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Thursday held a meeting with Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez in New Delhi and reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening ties between the two countries and bringing new momentum to the bilateral partnership.

Taking to X after the meeting, Jaishankar said he was “pleased to call on Acting President Delcy Rodríguez of Venezuela in New Delhi today,” adding that he “deeply values her longstanding commitment to the India-Venezuela relationship.” He also noted that her upcoming meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi would “further strengthen our cooperation.”

As discussions during Rodríguez’s five-day working visit are expected to focus on energy security, trade, investment, and expanding bilateral cooperation across key sectors, Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s intent to strengthen its relationship with the South American nation.

Rodríguez is leading a high-level delegation that includes Venezuela’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Economy and Finance, Science and Technology, Communication and Information, and Transportation.

The Ministry of External Affairs welcomed her arrival on X, saying the visit would “further deepen India-Venezuela ties and build on the momentum in the bilateral partnership.”

After meeting Jaishankar on Thursday, Rodríguez is holding formal talks with Prime Minister Modi at Hyderabad House and will also pay her respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

The visit, running from June 3 to 7, had originally been planned around the International Big Cat Alliance Summit on June 1, which was later deferred. It has since been reframed as a formal working visit.

On the agenda for the high-level discussions are areas like energy security, trade and investment, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, transportation, and renewable energy. The MEA noted that the Venezuelan delegation will also tour sites connected to India’s energy, pharmaceutical, and auto sectors to get a firsthand look at the country’s industrial and technological capabilities.

India’s ties with Venezuela have historically been anchored in the energy sector, with Indian public sector units having made significant investments there. “They are keen to explore opportunities for further enhancing their presence,” the MEA said, underlining the continued interest from the Indian side.

Rodriguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president on January 5, following the US’s capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

As part of the visit, the Venezuelan delegation will tour facilities linked to India’s energy, pharmaceutical, and automobile sectors to explore opportunities for industrial and technological collaboration.

The visit comes as New Delhi seeks to diversify its crude oil sources amid uncertainty in global energy markets. Venezuela, which possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves, has re-emerged as a potential supplier for India.

India and Venezuela share longstanding ties anchored in energy cooperation, trade, and a common commitment to the Global South. The visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral ties and deepen engagement between the two countries across diverse sectors.