US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Reliance Industries’ major energy and industrial facilities in Jamnagar on Wednesday, where billionaire Mukesh Ambani and members of his family welcomed him for a tour focused on refining, clean energy and conservation.
Rubio’s visit followed remarks a day earlier describing India as a global crude oil refining “superpower”. He also called for India to process more Venezuelan crude and expand its energy trade with the United States.
Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, was joined by his wife, Nita Ambani, and children Isha and Anant to receive the US official, according to people familiar with the visit. Akash Ambani, managing director of Jio Platforms, was reportedly occupied with preparations related to the telecom company’s initial public offering.
Officials described the programme as a private visit. Neither side released detailed information about the
discussions.
Rubio toured Reliance’s Jamnagar refining complex, which can process approximately 1.4 million barrels of crude oil daily. The facility is the world’s largest single-site refinery and plays a significant role in international fuel supplies through its extensive export operations.
In an interview with Reliance-owned Network18, Rubio said Washington wanted to strengthen cooperation with the conglomerate on refining energy resources from the Western Hemisphere, describing the partnership as beneficial to
both countries.
Reliance is a major purchaser of Venezuelan crude, ranking among the largest buyers after the United States, according to people familiar with the trade. Washington has been encouraging India to increase purchases and processing of such supplies.
The visit comes as rising US diesel prices create additional pressure ahead of the American midterm elections, increasing the importance of fuel availability and
refining capacity.
Reliance’s proposed investment in a new refinery in Brownsville, Texas, adds another dimension to its energy relationship with Washington.
US President Donald Trump recently announced the company’s participation in the proposed 168,000-barrel-a-day project. The facility is designed to process American light shale crude and, if completed as planned, would represent a significant addition to US refining capacity.
The investment could create a two-way commercial relationship, with Reliance processing Western Hemisphere crude in India while developing refining operations closer to American oil production.
Rubio also visited Vantara, Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation’s animal rescue and conservation initiative in Jamnagar. Conceived by Anant Ambani, the 3,000-acre facility focuses on animal rescue, rehabilitation
and conservation.
Vantara says it houses more than 2,000 animals across 43 species and has rescued over 200 elephants, along with thousands of other animals, reptiles and birds.
Another stop was the Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex, Reliance’s planned clean-energy manufacturing hub. Spread across approximately 5,000 acres, the project is expected to cost around `75,000 crore, or $10 billion, and will cover technologies including solar power, energy storage, fuel cells and electrolysers.
Rubio arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday, where External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hosted him for discussions on bilateral cooperation. The talks included energy, defence, technology and trade.
Rubio said a limited number of issues remained unresolved in negotiations over a trade agreement. His Jamnagar visit underscores the growing commercial significance of Reliance as Washington and New Delhi seek to strengthen economic ties and address outstanding differences.