US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has unexpectedly revealed that Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez will be visiting India next week. His disclosure has raised eyebrows because neither New Delhi nor Caracas had officially announced such a visit.

Rubio made the statement while speaking to reporters before departing on his own trip to India, where he is scheduled to discuss energy cooperation.

He emphasised Washington’s desire to expand energy exports to India, remarking, “We want to sell them as much energy as they’ll buy.” He then added that opportunities existed with Venezuelan oil, noting that Rodríguez would be travelling to India as well.

The revelation has sparked a political row in India. Congress leaders questioned why an American official was the first to announce a foreign leader’s visit to India.

Jairam Ramesh, the party’s general secretary, drew a parallel with Rubio’s earlier disclosure in May 2025 regarding the halt to Operation Sindoor, when he announced the ceasefire before Indian authorities did.

Ramesh argued that once again, major developments concerning India were being revealed from Washington rather than New Delhi. He posted on X that Rubio had been “the very first to announce” Rodríguez’s visit, even before India or Venezuela had hinted at it.

Rodríguez assumed office as Venezuela’s interim president after Nicolas Maduro was removed from power. Months earlier, US forces had abducted Maduro, paving the way for a Washington-friendly regime. Since then, Rodríguez’s government has signed deals granting American companies access to Venezuelan oil fields.

The United States lifted sanctions on Venezuelan oil, giving it strong leverage over the Latin American nation by controlling oil sales and revenues. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, and India is one of the biggest crude importers globally.

The timing of Rodríguez’s reported visit is significant, as India continues to navigate energy turbulence due to its dependence on imported oil and gas from the Middle East.

Rubio’s remarks also come against the backdrop of Washington’s repeated discouragement of India’s purchases of Russian crude. The United States has instead proposed that New Delhi increase its imports of American energy.

His disclosure of Rodríguez’s visit therefore ties into broader US efforts to reshape India’s energy partnerships, aligning them more closely with Washington’s strategic interests. Rubio described India as “a great ally, a great partner,” underlining the importance of strengthening ties at a time when energy security is a pressing concern.

Congress’s reaction highlights the political sensitivity of such announcements. The party sees Rubio’s disclosure as another example of India’s foreign policy narrative being shaped externally.

The comparison to Operation Sindoor underscores concerns about sovereignty and the perception that Washington is often the first to reveal developments involving India.

The episode has added a layer of controversy to what might otherwise have been a routine diplomatic engagement, with questions now being raised about transparency and the role of external actors in shaping India’s international agenda.

Agencies