Business · India Bureau
US Secretary of State Rubio visits Reliance's Jamnagar refinery complex
Marco Rubio toured Reliance Industries' sprawling Jamnagar refinery on Wednesday as part of a three-day India visit focused on deepening bilateral cooperation in energy, defence and technology. The visit underscores US interest in India's critical role in global oil refining.
LSN India ·
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Gujarat's Jamnagar on Wednesday to inspect the massive oil refinery complex operated by Reliance Industries Ltd, led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani. The visit comes a day after Rubio publicly described India as a crude oil refining "superpower", signalling Washington's strategic focus on New Delhi's energy infrastructure.
Rubio is undertaking a three-day visit to India aimed at strengthening bilateral engagement across energy, trade, investment, defence and critical technologies, while also discussing regional developments in West Asia. The Jamnagar refinery visit holds particular significance given the US official's recent remarks on India's refining capabilities and his advocacy for increased processing of Venezuelan crude in the country.
According to Reliance's official information, the Jamnagar facility ranks as the world's largest and most complex single-site refinery, with a daily processing capacity of 1.4 million barrels and a complexity index of 21.1—the highest globally. The refinery has demonstrated its versatility by processing over 216 different grades of crude oil sourced from various global producers, positioning it as a critical node in international energy markets.
The visit reflects growing US strategic interest in leveraging India's refining capacity as part of broader efforts to diversify global energy supply chains and manage geopolitical dynamics in oil markets.