US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday welcomed India’s efforts to diversify its energy portfolio amid United States concerns over the country’s
continued purchase of Russian oil, saying Washington could become a source of some of India’s energy needs. Speaking in Mumbai, Rubio said India had repeatedly expressed its desire to diversify its energy sources and described the move as a “smart thing to do”. “I think what India has expressed repeatedly is its desire to diversify its energy portfolio, which is a smart thing to do. It's not easy to do that from one day to the next. I think they've made some substantial progress in that regard, and we're happy to see that,” Rubio said. Rubio stressed that the issue was not limited to India’s purchases of Russian crude, but was also about New Delhi’s broader effort to build a more diversified energy portfolio. “But in the end, it's not just about Russian oil; it's about India's desire to diversify,” he said. The US Secretary of State said Washington believed it could play a role in meeting some of India’s energy requirements, while pointing to Venezuela and other countries as potential sources. “We think we can be a source of some of its energy inputs. We've discussed Venezuela and other countries, and I think it's in our interest to have strong allies with diverse energy portfolios,” Rubio added. The remarks of US Secretary of State come amid continued scrutiny of India's Russian oil imports and efforts by New Delhi to balance energy security, affordability and strategic partnerships.
