Mayur MohtaUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio called India a “great ally” ahead of his New Delhi visit. He pushed hard for a massive US-India energy deal and even floated Venezuelan oil as a new supply option for India.
Rubio Pitches Maximum US Energy Sales to India
America’s top diplomat US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a bold declaration on Thursday. Washington wants to sell India as much energy as the country can absorb. He confirmed this while speaking to reporters in Miami, right before departing for Sweden and India.
“Well, we want to sell them as much energy as they’ll buy. And obviously, you’ve seen I think we’re at historic levels of US production, and US export,” Rubio told journalists.
His India visit is scheduled from May 23 to 26. The trip will take him across Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur, and New Delhi a wide-ranging tour by any measure.
Strait of Hormuz Crisis Creates New Energy Urgency
The backdrop to this push is critical. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has rattled global energy supply chains. India a massive energy importer now faces serious pressure to diversify its sources fast.
Rubio acknowledged India’s sharp handling of this pressure. He underlined Washington’s desire to strengthen India’s energy security through multiple international channels including a rather unexpected one.
“We want to be able to do more. We were already in talks with them to do more. We want them to be a bigger part of their portfolio. We also think there are opportunities with Venezuelan oil,” Rubio stated.
The mention of Venezuelan oil was striking. It signals Washington’s willingness to use every available lever including politically sensitive ones to deepen India’s energy ties with the US and its partners.
India Is a “Great Ally and Great Partner,” Says Rubio
Rubio was effusive in his praise for India throughout the press briefing. He left no doubt about how Washington views New Delhi’s global standing right now.
“They are a great ally, a great partner. We do a lot of good work with them. And so it is an important trip. I’m glad we’re able to do it because I think there’ll be a lot for us to talk about,” Rubio said.
The Secretary of State made clear this visit carries genuine strategic weight not just diplomatic formality.
Quad Meeting in India Adds Strategic Muscle to the Trip
Beyond energy, Rubio’s New Delhi schedule includes a Quad ministerial meeting a gathering of diplomats from India, the United States, Japan, and Australia.
“We’ll also meet with Quad there, which is important. I think my first meeting as Secretary of State was with the Quad. I’m glad we are able to do it now in India, and we’re going to do one later in the year as well,” Rubio added.
The Quad has grown sharply in geopolitical importance. Holding the meeting on Indian soil reinforces New Delhi’s central role in this Indo-Pacific alliance.
Venezuela’s Acting President Also Headed to India
In what may turn out to be the most surprising diplomatic detail from Rubio’s briefing Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodriguez is also set to visit India next week.
“In fact, it’s my understanding that the interim president of Venezuela will be travelling to India next week as well. So, there’s opportunities. There’s a lot to work on with India,” Rubio observed.
The convergence of these high-level visits Rubio’s trip and Rodriguez’s arrival signals that India is rapidly becoming a global pivot point for energy diplomacy. Washington appears eager to stay ahead of the curve.
Akshay Didwaniya
The BRICS Times
Aditya Didwaniya