Modi, Rodriguez discuss energy ties

{ FOUR-DAY INDIA VISIT }

- Rezaul H Laskar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez on Thursday held talks on forging a long-term energy partnership and collaboration in pharmaceuticals and critical minerals, even as the Indian side flagged the issue of repatriating a state-run firm’s oil dividends from the South American country.

Rodriguez is on a four-day visit to India with a delegation that includes five ministers, marking her first trip to the country since she became interim head of the Venezuelan government after US troops captured and abducted former president Nicolas Maduro during an operation in Caracas in January.

The two leaders did not make customary media statements after their talks at Hyderabad House, and Modi said in a social media post that they discussed the expansion of cooperation in energy, critical minerals, technology, agriculture and healthcare. "As a valued partner in Latin America, our close cooperation with Venezuela holds immense importance for the Global South,” he said.