India is a refining superpower, can process Venezuelan oil: Marco Rubio

Mumbai: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio intends to encourage India's Reliance Industries to refine more Venezuelan crude at local refineries and potentially produce oil in the South American nation, according to reporters in Mumbai on Tuesday. Rubio arrived in India's bustling financial hub after President Donald Trump waived potential sanctions on India, a top buyer of Russian oil, a list that includes India.

The visit is expected to facilitate a trade deal between India and Washington, but has drawn criticism from US lawmakers who claim the administration has been too lenient on Moscow. During a two-day trip to Mumbai and Jamnagar, Rubio is set to meet government and business leaders, including Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani.

Rubio hinted at discussing the possibility of Reliance producing oil with Venezuela, noting the company's past involvement and refining capabilities. While Reliance already refines Venezuelan crude, it doesn't currently produce oil in Venezuela. The visit coincides with Trump's removal of a potential tariff hurdle for India's substantial Russian oil imports, which has upset Democrats and Republicans who want the administration to impose more economic pressure on Moscow over its war with Ukraine.

Rubio mentioned the trade deal finalization as a factor in waiving the tariffs, though it remains unclear how much this aligns with current US foreign policy priorities.