# U.S. seeks India's refining power for Western crude

> Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Reliance's massive Jamnagar refinery to discuss processing Venezuelan oil as the U.S. pushes India to diversify energy supplies.
- Title: U.S. seeks India's refining power for Western crude · CNBC
- Summary: Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Reliance's massive Jamnagar refinery to discuss processing Venezuelan oil as the U.S. pushes India to diversify energy…
- Keywords: marco rubio, reliance industries, mukesh ambani, jamnagar refinery, venezuela oil, india energy, u.s. energy policy, business, finance, seeks, India's, refining
- Source: CNBC — https://cnbc.com/2026/10/21/rubio-reliance-venezuela-oil-diesel.html
- Author: Priyanka Salve
- Published: 2026-10-21T04:47:43+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: marco rubio, reliance industries, mukesh ambani, jamnagar refinery, venezuela oil, india energy, u.s. energy policy, business, finance
## Rubio visits Reliance refinery
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting Reliance Industries' Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat to discuss refining Western Hemisphere energy supplies with Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's company.
## World's largest single-site refinery
Reliance's Jamnagar refinery has crude processing capacity of one point four million barrels per day and is the world's largest and most complex single-site refinery.
## U.S. pushes Venezuelan crude purchases
Rubio said the U.S. wants to work with Reliance to refine crude from the Western Hemisphere, particularly Venezuelan oil. Reliance is already the biggest buyer of Venezuelan crude outside the U.S.

> I think that's helpful to India, but it's also helpful to us.
## India as refining superpower
Rubio underscored Reliance's ability to refine heavy crude and referred to India as a refining superpower when asked about the country's role in meeting global energy demand.
## Reliance's U.S. refinery investment unclear
Trump announced in March that Reliance would help build America's first new oil refinery in fifty years. Trump claimed it was a three hundred billion dollar deal, but Reliance has never confirmed the investment size.

> THIS IS A HISTORIC $300 BILLION DOLLAR DEAL, THE BIGGEST IN U.S. HISTORY.
## Diesel prices and election timing
Rubio's visit comes as diesel prices have surged in the U.S. with midterm elections looming. Diesel prices, which affect truckers, farmers and shippers, are expected to remain elevated going into next year.
## Key takeaway

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting Reliance Industries' Jamnagar refinery to discuss processing Western Hemisphere crude, particularly Venezuelan oil, as the Trump administration pushes India to replace Russian energy supplies.