Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jun 27: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the United States is keen to play a larger role in meeting India's rising energy demand, underscoring that deeper cooperation between the two countries can strengthen New Delhi's long-term energy security through diversified supplies.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with IANS at the White House, Rubio said India has consistently pursued a strategy of broadening its energy sources and that Washington is well placed to contribute to that objective.
"India has been focused for a long time on diversifying its sources of energy, and I believe that approach will continue. We would certainly like to be part of that effort because we think we have viable solutions to offer," Rubio said.
He said the Trump administration's efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East were also aimed at ensuring greater stability in global energy markets and increasing fuel availability for America's partners.
"One of the reasons President Donald Trump has given peace a chance in the Middle East is the desire to see more fuel enter the marketplace for our allies," he said.
Rubio stressed that India's energy resilience would be strengthened by maintaining a wide range of suppliers rather than relying heavily on any single source.
"The long-term solution is really to diversify energy supplies," he remarked.
Highlighting another potential avenue for cooperation, Rubio said Venezuela could emerge as an important supplier of crude oil for India, adding that the United States is working with Caracas to increase its oil production capacity.
"I know India has been engaging not only with the United States but also with Venezuela. We are working very closely to expand Venezuela's production capacity," he said.
Rubio noted that India's sophisticated refining infrastructure gives it a unique advantage in processing Venezuela's heavy crude oil.
"India is among the few countries with the capability to refine the heavy crude that Venezuela produces. That's something we would certainly like to facilitate," he added.
The US Secretary of State described energy as one of several strategic areas where India and the United States have strong common interests.
"India and the United States are the world's largest and oldest democracies. We have tremendous opportunities to work together in areas such as economic growth, resilient supply chains, critical minerals, energy security, defence cooperation and freedom of navigation," Rubio said.
"We are aligned on a wide range of issues, and those shared interests provide a strong foundation for expanding our partnership."
India remains one of the fastest-growing energy consumers globally, with increasing imports of crude oil and liquefied natural gas to support its expanding economy. Diversification of energy sources has become a key component of New Delhi's energy security strategy, reducing dependence on any single supplier.
Energy cooperation has also become a major pillar of the India-US strategic relationship. In addition to growing trade in crude oil and LNG, the two countries have expanded collaboration in civil nuclear energy, clean energy technologies, critical minerals and resilient supply chains as part of their broader economic and geopolitical partnership.