Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez held extensive discussions on strengthening energy cooperation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

MEA Secretary (East) Rudrendra Tandon described the talks as substantive, practical, and focused on future collaboration.

Rodriguez is visiting India from June 3 to 6 with a high-level Ministerial delegation comprising Ministers responsible for foreign affairs, communication and information, economy and finance, science and technology, and transportation.

Rodriguez met Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi for official discussions that continued over a working lunch.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar called on her, while the Petroleum Minister was also scheduled to meet her later in the day.

Venezuela possesses some of the world's largest oil reserves, while India remains a major and steadily expanding energy consumer.

Tandon said this creates a natural synergy between the two countries. He noted that Venezuela has already become India's third-largest supplier in spot oil purchases this month.

According to Rudrendra Tandon, both leaders focused on establishing a long-term energy partnership. He stated that Venezuela views India as a reliable source of sustained demand and sees significant opportunities for cooperation across both upstream and downstream energy segments.

Tandon also highlighted the ongoing transformation within Venezuela's energy sector.

The discussions extended beyond energy. Both sides examined opportunities in mining, animal husbandry, transportation, agricultural equipment, automobiles, and pharmaceuticals.