PM Modi, Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez discuss energy, trade and investment ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 4 held talks with Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez in New Delhi, with both sides focusing on strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas such as energy, trade, investment, healthcare and renewable energy. Rodriguez is currently on a five-day visit to India aimed at deepening ties between the two countries.

Ahead of her meeting with the Prime Minister, Rodriguez met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who described the India-Venezuela relationship as an important partnership and expressed confidence that her discussions with Modi would further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

In a post on X after the meeting, Jaishankar said he deeply valued Rodriguez's longstanding commitment to the India-Venezuela relationship and noted that her engagement with Prime Minister Modi would help advance cooperation between the two countries.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), discussions between the two leaders were expected to cover the full spectrum of India-Venezuela relations, including energy security, trade and investment, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, transportation and renewable energy. The visit is also aimed at exploring new avenues for collaboration in sectors of mutual interest.

Rodriguez arrived in New Delhi on June 3 accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes Venezuela's ministers handling foreign affairs, economy and finance, science and technology, communication and information, and transportation.

During the visit, the delegation is scheduled to visit facilities linked to India's energy, pharmaceutical and automobile sectors to better understand the country's industrial and technological capabilities.

Energy cooperation remains a key pillar of the bilateral relationship. India has historically been an important buyer of Venezuelan crude oil, while Indian public sector companies have invested in Venezuela's energy sector.

The visit comes at a time when India's imports of Venezuelan crude have risen significantly, making Venezuela one of New Delhi's important energy partners.

The MEA has said India and Venezuela enjoy warm and friendly relations built on cooperation in energy, trade and a shared commitment to the Global South. Officials expect Rodriguez's visit to further strengthen bilateral engagement and create opportunities for expanded collaboration across multiple sectors.

Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at nearly $679 million in FY 2025-26, according to official figures cited by the MEA. Both sides are expected to review existing partnerships and identify new areas of cooperation during the visit.