Rubio linked the expected Delcy Rodriguez India visit to possible Venezuela oil discussions as Washington pushes to expand energy cooperation with New Delhi.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday, May 21, 2026, that Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez was expected to travel to India the following week. Speaking before his own India visit from Saturday, May 23, 2026, to Tuesday, May 26, 2026, Rubio said the United States wanted a larger role in India’s energy portfolio and saw possible openings involving Venezuelan oil.

Why the Delcy Rodriguez India visit matters

Rubio’s remarks place India’s crude supply choices inside a wider energy diplomacy push. India, one of the world’s major oil importers, has been looking at alternative supply options as global energy pressure remains high. Rubio described India as a key US partner and said energy cooperation would be part of the broader discussions.

The disclosure was diplomatically sensitive because the visit had not been formally announced by India or Venezuela. Reports citing Indian government sources said Rodriguez had been expected to attend the International Big Cat Alliance summit in New Delhi, but that event has been rescheduled. That makes the exact timing and purpose of any visit unclear.

Post-Maduro politics add another layer

Rodriguez has led Venezuela’s interim government after the US operation that removed Nicolas Maduro from power. Her government’s energy policy and cooperation with Washington have made Venezuelan crude a renewed factor in global oil discussions.

For India, the issue is not only diplomatic but commercial. Any Venezuelan crude purchase would likely be judged on price, supply reliability and India’s national energy interest. For Washington, Rubio’s comments signal an effort to connect US-India energy ties with wider changes in Venezuela’s oil sector.