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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday visited Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat, bringing the India-US energy partnership into focus
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday visited Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat, bringing the India-US energy partnership into focus amid efforts to expand trade, diversify oil supplies and attract investment.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor accompanied Rubio during the visit.
In a post on X, Gor said India’s imports of US liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) had risen sharply over the past year, with the US now accounting for 67 per cent of India’s LPG imports, up from less than 10 per cent.
Gor also highlighted Reliance’s planned investment in a new US oil refinery, describing it as an opportunity to increase American energy production and create jobs.
The visit comes as Washington looks to deepen energy cooperation with New Delhi and encourage India to diversify its sources of crude oil. Reliance’s refining capabilities could play an important role in these plans.
Texas refinery investment on the agenda
One of the key reasons behind Rubio’s visit could be Reliance’s proposed investment in a new refinery in Brownsville, Texas.
In March, US President Donald Trump announced that Reliance would invest in a refinery project being developed by America First Refining.
More from BusinessTrump described it as a $300 billion deal and said it would be the first new refinery built in the US in 50 years.
The project is expected to boost domestic refining capacity, support exports and generate jobs in the region.
Earlier, in an exclusive interview with Network18 , Rubio said Reliance had an extraordinary ability to process energy resources into usable products.
He said the company could help India diversify its energy supplies, while US producers could benefit from having more of their energy products refined in India.
Venezuela oil offers another opportunity
Venezuelan crude is another potential area of cooperation.
The South American country holds some of the world’s largest proven oil reserves, while Reliance operates a refinery complex capable of processing a wide range of crude grades.
Washington wants India to consider processing more Venezuelan oil as production rises. Such an arrangement could give Indian refiners another source of crude while helping diversify global oil supply chains.
The proposal also fits into the broader US effort to persuade India to reduce its reliance on Russian oil.
However, the extent to which Venezuelan supplies can expand will depend on production levels, commercial terms and the applicable US sanctions framework.
Why Jamnagar matters
Reliance’s Jamnagar facility is the world’s largest single-site oil-refining complex, with a combined crude-processing capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day, according to the company. That amounts to nearly 1.5 per cent of global refining capacity.
Its scale and ability to process different types of crude make the complex strategically important as countries seek reliable energy supplies amid shifting geopolitical relationships.
Rubio’s visit therefore highlights how refining capacity, investment and access to crude are becoming central to the India-US energy relationship.
