US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday expressed support for India's efforts to diversify its energy portfolio despite its continued purchases of Russian crude oil. These remarks come as US President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order putting on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting Russia and the nations purchasing petroleum products from it.
Rubio, who arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday, said, "I think what India has expressed repeatedly is its desire to diversify its energy portfolio, which is a smart thing to do. It's not easy to do that from one day to the next. I think they've made some substantial progress in that regard, and we're happy to see that."
On India's purchase of Russian oil, Rubio said, "But in the end, it's not just about Russian oil; it's about India's desire to diversify, and we think we can be a source of some of its energy inputs. We've discussed Venezuela and other countries, and I think it's in our interest to have strong allies with diverse energy portfolios."
Rubio began a three-day visit to India on Tuesday.
{{/usCountry}}Rubio began a three-day visit to India on Tuesday.
{{/usCountry}}Follow live updates on his India visit here.
'India is a refining superpower': Rubio
Speaking about New Delhi's role in meeting the energy demands of the world, Rubio noted, "India is a refining superpower."
He added, "They have the capability to refine heavy crude. They've done so in the past, and I think as more and more Venezuelan oil comes online, it's something they can do. They also, by the way, have pre-existing oil concessions in Venezuela that can produce more themselves. So, all these are positive things."
"I'm not claiming to you that Venezuela alone can fill the hole that could be caused by some of the things that are happening around the world, but I think over time, it most certainly can, and in the short term, it can certainly help," he added.
Meanwhile, sharing details about his meeting with external affairs minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, Rubio posted on X on Tuesday that the two leaders discussed energy security and defense cooperation while reaffirming the importance of advancing the strategic partnership between the US and India.
Pause on Russia sanctions to assess impact on India: Rubio
Rubio on Saturday said that the US will take a 60-day pause to understand the implications of placing new sanctions on Russia and its trading partners like India, as HT reported previously.
The Lindsey Graham Act had empowered Trump to impose up to 100 per cent duties on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
Also Read | US ‘very close’ to India trade deal; energy needs considered in Russia sanctions waiver: Marco Rubio
'Visit provides an opportunity to further advance cooperation ': MEA
Announcing Rubio's arrival in India, ministry of external affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X, "Welcome to Mumbai, US Secretary of State @SecRubio, on your second visit to India!"
"He was received by Shri Ashish Shelar, Minister of Culture, Electronics, IT & AI, Government of Maharashtra at the airport," he added.
"The visit provides an opportunity to further advance cooperation across the various pillars of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership," the spokesperson said.