During his India visit, Marco Rubio will meet Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani in Jamnagar to discuss refining more Venezuelan oil. Reliance’s refineries can process the country’s heavy crude, while US efforts to expand production face aging infrastructure challenges in Venezuela.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is on an official visit to India from October 20 to 21 at the invitation of EAM Jaishankar as the two countries eye bilateral trade and other strategic deals. This is Rubio’s second visit to India in 2026, following an earlier trip to New Delhi in May.
During the two-day visit, Rubio will also travel to Jamnagar, where he is set to meet the Chairman of Reliance Industries, Mukesh Ambani, on Wednesday. Reliance operates the world's largest refining complex in Jamnagar, and the meeting comes at a time when the US is eyeing an expansion of diesel supply sources to the country amid concerns about a shortage and fuel price rise, caused by the war with Iran.
US needs to process Venezuelan crude
One of the options that the US has to offset the oil supply crisis through the Strait of Hormuz is to refine more crude from Venezuela. Following the capture and extradition of long-time Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier this year, the US secured majority control of more than 65 billion barrels of proven oil reserves in the country. According to the White House, Venezuela’s interim authorities have granted North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP), a privately held oil company, a 100-year concession for 17 oil fields.
Quick answers to key questions
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QUESTIONS
The US is looking to expand its sources of diesel and address supply concerns amid disruptions linked to the war with Iran. Reliance has experience refining Venezuelan crude, which could help increase the oil’s use.
Yes. Reliance’s two Jamnagar refineries have a combined capacity of about 1.4 million barrels per day and are equipped to process ultra-heavy, waxy and high-sulphur crude such as Venezuela’s.
More Venezuelan oil could provide some short-term relief from supply disruptions and potentially play a larger role over time. Marco Rubio said it would not necessarily fill the entire gap caused by global events.
No. The main article says Reliance is a major refiner of Venezuelan crude but is not active inside Venezuela. Rubio said the possibility of Reliance producing oil there had been discussed and could come up again.
Rubio said sanctions could pose impediments that Washington and New Delhi would need to work through. The main article also notes that aging, poorly maintained infrastructure in Venezuela has limited the US’s ability to take full advantage of its oil arrangements.
While the US has begun processing imported heavy crude at scale, Washington has not been able to take full advantage of the deal due to poorly maintained and aging infrastructure in Venezuela.
Reliance is equipped to process Venezuelan crude
This is where Reliance comes into the picture for the US, as the Mukesh Ambani-led firm has a long history of refining heavy Venezuelan crude. The two refineries Reliance operates in Jamnagar have a combined capacity of about 1.4 million barrels per day and are specifically engineered to handle ultra-heavy, waxy, and high-sulphur crudes like those from Venezuela.
What Rubio said
"We will talk about (refining more Venezuelan crude) tomorrow with Reliance...They have done so in the past, and I think as more and more of Venezuelan oil comes online, that is something they can do," Rubio told reporters in Mumbai on Monday.
Asked whether he would discuss the possibility of Reliance itself producing oil with Venezuela, Rubio said the matter had been discussed in the past, and that the matter would come up again. While Reliance is a major refiner of Venezuelan crude, it is not active inside the South American country.
"We are going to go see what the holdup is and what opportunities exist...this is a company that has had a presence in Venezuela in the past, and whose refining capabilities are substantial," he said.
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Bobins Vayalil Abraham
Bobins loves telling the human side of all stories, from the intersection of geopolitics, international relations, and conflicts around the world. In his nearly one-and-a-half-decade career as a journalist, Bobins has covered South Asia, the Middle East, and North America, from elections to mass protests and conflicts. <br> Bobins has also done extensive reporting on environmental issues, climate change, and sustainability, focusing on solutions and people working to make the planet a better place to live. <br> In 2018, Bobins was awarded by Times Internet for the impact of his story on Delhi tree cuttings. Bobins also loves telling the stories of Indian startups and the journey of their founders. <br> Total Years of Experience: 14 <br> Years of experience at LM: Bobins has been a part of Live Mint since February 2026 <br> Interests: When he is not tracking conflicts, Bobins loves to cook, travel across India, click photos, and watch documentaries on history. Past Experience: Before joining Live Mint, Bobins worked with The Indian Express, where he led the Global Breaking News coverage, Indiatimes, where he led the news team, covering everything trending, ANI, where the focus of his coverage was South Asia, and NBS News. <br> Current Role: Bobins is currently working as an Assistant Editor at Live Mint.