Embassy of India
Caracas
India - Venezuela Relations
India and Venezuela share a history of warm relations. There is a similarity of views on major international, political and economic issues. This strong partnership extends beyond bilateral cooperation, as both nations actively collaborate in multilateral forums. The two countries marked the 65th Anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations in 2024. Resident Embassies have been in Caracas and New Delhi for over four decades.
Political
2. A major thrust to the bilateral relationship was imparted by former President Hugo Chavez´s State Visit to India on 4‐7 March 2005. He held bilateral talks with former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and former President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Six Agreements/MoUs were signed including on setting up of a Joint Commission and cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector.
3. In Baku, Azerbaijan, on 24 October 2019 former Venezuelan FM Mr. Jorge Arreaza, met with Hon’ble EAM, Dr. S. Jaishankar, on the sidelines of the XVIII Preparatory Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs for the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the NAM. Vice President Shri Venkaiah Naidu met with President of Venezuela Mr. Nicolás Maduro on the sidelines of the 18th NAM Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan on 26 October 2019.
4. Executive Vice President Dr. Delcy Rodríguez visited India along with Minister of Economy and Finance, Mr. Simón Zerpa to attend the 2nd International Solar Alliance General Assembly during 29-30 October 2019. She also met Hon’ble EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar.
5. Hon'ble EAM met the then Venezuelan FM, Mr. Felix Plasencia, on the sidelines of UNGA in New York on 25 September 2021.
6. Hon'ble EAM met Mr. Carlos Faria, Former FM of Venezuela on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York on 24 September, 2022.
7. Shri Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East) visited Caracas during November 21-23, 2022 and co-chaired the 4th Foreign Office Consultations between India and Venezuela.
8. At the invitation of Hon’ble Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal, Executive Vice President Dr. Delcy Rodriguez, accompanied by four other Ministers as well as a 25-member business delegation, visited India to participate in the 9th CII-LAC Conclave from 3-5 August 2023. During the visit, she called on and held discussions with Uprashtraptiji, Hon’ble Minister of Finance, Hon’ble EAM as well as Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
9. Hon’ble EAM met Venezuelan FM Yvan Gil met on the sidelines of NAM Summit held at Kampala during 19-20 January 2024 and held discussions on issues of mutual interest.
10. On the sidelines of BRICS Ministerial Dialogue with Developing Countries on 11 June 2024 at Russia, FM Yvan Gil met our delegation led by Secretary (ER) and discussed issues of bilateral cooperation, especially trade, energy and multilateral cooperation.
11. Hon’ble EAM met FM Yvan Gil on the sidelines of UNGA Session in New York on 24 September 2024.
12. Venezuelan Executive Vice President, Delcy Rodriguez, visited Delhi on 25 October 2024 and met Hon’ble Vice President and the Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
13. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, accompanied by an official delegation that included Coromoto Godoy, Minister of Foreign Trade and Daniela Cabello Contreras, Vice Minister of Export Promotion, visited Delhi on 11-14 February 2025 to participate in the India Energy Week. The delegation held discussions with Hon’ble MoPNG and Hon’ble CIM. Separately, Minister Coromoto Godoy held meetings with FICCI, NOIDA SEZ and private businesses.
14. The MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Sharing Successful Digital Solutions Implemented at Population Scale for Digital Transformation was signed between our Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Venezuelan Ministry of Science and Technology on 12 February 2025.
15. Major General Omar Enrique Pérez La Rosa, Vice Minister of Defense Education and Division General Jorge Amaya Ritter, 2nd Commander and Chief of Staff of Aviation participated in Aero India 2025 held on 10-14 Feb 2025 at Bangalore.
Commercial
15. The main items of India’s exports to Venezuela are mineral fuels and oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances, pharmaceutical products, cotton, nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances, electrical machinery and equipment; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, articles of apparel and clothing accessories and miscellaneous chemical products.
16. The main items of India’s imports from Venezuela are mineral fuels and oils and products of their distillation, bituminous substances; mineral waxes, iron and steel, aluminium, edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers, copper and articles thereof, lead and articles thereof, zinc and articles thereof, wood and articles of wood; electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, raw hides, skins and leather, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; edible fruit and nuts; plastic and articles thereof, organic chemicals, miscellaneous chemical products, articles of iron or steel.
18. The bilateral trade between India and Venezuela during the past five years is given in the table below:
(Value: USD million)
|
Year
|
Exports
|
Imports
|
Total
|
|
2019-20
|
340
|
6057
|
6397
|
|
2020-21
|
557
|
714
|
1271
|
|
2021-22
|
334
|
89
|
424
|
|
2022-23
|
178
|
253
|
431
|
|
2023-24
|
175.33
|
999.69
|
1,175.02
|
Source: DGCI&S, Kolkata
19. ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) and Corporacion Venezolana del Petroleo (CVP) (subsidiary of PdVSA) have a joint venture called "PetroleraIndovenezolana SA" for the production and exploration of oil in the San Cristóbal field, in which OVL has 40% stake, while PDVSA has 60% of the remaining stake. The OVL investment in the San Cristóbal project is approximately US$ 200 million.
20. An international consortium comprising ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Oil India Limited (OIL), Repsol of Spain and Petronas of Malaysia was declared the winner of an international bidding process in April 2008 to develop a multi‐million-dollar oil project integrated in Carabobo in the Orinoco belt of Venezuela.
21. Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has a 15‐year crude supply contract with PDVSA. As per media reports, RIL has obtained OFAC license from US Treasury in July 2024 for crude imports from Venezuela, despite the sanctions.
22. The Mission participated in FITVen 2024, an international tourism festival organized by the Venezuelan Ministry of Tourism from 28 November- 01 December 2024. The event was inaugurated by Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who also visited the Indian stall.
Culture
23. There is a significant interest and appreciation for Indian art and culture in Venezuela. Various centres in Venezuela have been established by Indian spiritual Gurus/groups such as Sathya Sai Baba, Brahma Kumaris, Radha Swami, among others. The country boasts temples and numerous yoga centres. Ayurveda is gaining popularity and has been acknowledged as an alternative system of medical treatment in a health regulation issued by the Government of Venezuela in February 2001. The first AYUSH Information Cell of Venezuela was established in Gran Fraternidad Universal, Maracay in July 2017. The International Day of Yoga (IDY) has been celebrated annually since 2015.
24. A Cátedra Libre (India Chair) was established at the University of Los Andes (ULA) in Mérida in 2006 and at the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) in Caracas in 2010. The Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Study Centre was inaugurated at Santa María University, Caracas, on April 14, 2016. Additionally, a workshop and IT Centre were established in Araira, Miranda State, on March 16, 2017, benefiting nearly 1300 students from the local community. Furthermore, a Vallabhbhai India-Venezuela Association (VIVA) Centre was founded in El Hatillo, Caracas, on October 31, 2016, to commemorate National Unity Day. The Mahatma Gandhi Centre was opened in Caricuao on October 2, 2017. The Mahatma Gandhi Foundation Venezuela, established in June 2016, offers regular diploma courses on Gandhian philosophy.
25. The Mission participated in the 2nd International Film Festival in Valencia City, Carabobo State during 21-23 March 2024 at which three Bollywood movies were screened.
26. The Mission hosted a World Hindi Day event on 12 January 2024, where Friends of India, officials, families, and students of Hindi recited Hindi poetry. A message from the Hon’ble Prime Minister was read out during the event. At the 75th Republic Day reception on 26 January 2024, Venezuelan VP Delcy Rodriguez graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
27. To commemorate the 155th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Venezuela, a tree planting ceremony was organized at Waraira Repano National Park, in collaboration with the Ministry of People’s Power of Ecosocialism and Inparques (the national institution for the management of National Parks). The garden was named as ‘Bosque Venezuela,’ and a plaque placed in the garden, inter alia, carries a quote of Gandhiji – ‘The world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed.’
28. Diwali was celebrated on 25 October 2024 in collaboration with Caribbean countries with sizable PIO population like Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, and Suriname. On 29 October, the Mission organized the 9th Ayurveda Day with the theme ‘Ayurveda: Innovations for Global Health.’ Hernán Gabriel Toro Hernández, Vice Minister, Ministry of Ecosocialism, was the Guest in the event.
29. India was a partner country in the University Fair held between 25-30 November 2024 at the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB), wherein the Mission coordinated an event to commemorate the 75th Constitution Day, hosted an Indian cultural performance and sessions of Yoga.
30. The Mission hosted a cultural event to introduce Indian Folk Arts featuring Henna, Madhubani painting, Kolam/Rangoli, and Puppet Making on 11 December 2024. A beginner's Rangoli workshop was organized which witnessed enthusiastic participation of diplomats, university students, and Venezuelans from diverse backgrounds.
31. Venezuelan experts are regularly being sent to India every year under ITEC programme. Since 2007, 305 ITEC Civilian slots were allotted to Venezuela out of which 242 (approx.) slots were utilized. All the 30 allocated annual slots for the year 2024-25 have been utilized. The Mission organized ITEC Day 2024 celebrations on 22 November. In Sept 2024, 2 Venezuelan students availed slots under Atal Bihari Vajpayee General Scholarship Scheme of ICCR for doing UG degree courses at Delhi University.
32. In February 2025, the Ministry has approved a grant of US$ 976,500 through the India-UNDP Development Partnership Fund for a community project titled, ‘Support for Social Inclusion, Culture of Peace and Resilience of Children, Adolescent and Young People through Music Education,’ to be executed with El Sistema, an organization based in Venezuela. This is the first time such a community project is being executed through this fund in this country.
33. Under the Scheme ‘Development, Communication& Dissemination of Filmic Content (DCDFC)’, two events were organized by the Mission for promoting Indian cinema. Hindi movie ‘Sirf Ek Banda Kaafi Hai’ (with Spanish sub-titles) was screened in an open-air venue inside a popular mall in Caracas on 18 January 2025. About 100 people watched the movie and it was widely appreciated.
34. Indian Film Festival - The Mission in collaboration with Ministry of Culture of Venezuela organized the 1st 2-day Indian Film Festival on 7-8 March 2025 in the iconic Cinemataca Nacional Theatre in Caracas. The event was inaugurated on 7 March by the Minister for the People’s Power for Culture of Venezuela, H.E. Mr. Ernesto Villegas.
35. The event was also attended by Minister of Foreign Trade, H.E. Ms. Coromoto Godoy, Vice Minister for Asia, Middle East and Oceania - Tatiana Pugh, Vice Minister for Audiovisual Culture - Sergio Arria, Vice Minister for Arts, Image and Space - Mary Pemjean, senior officials of the Venezuelan Government, members of diplomatic corps, media and members of both Indian and Venezuelan communities. Mary Kom (dubbed in Spanish) was screened on 7 March whereas ‘Mhorkya’ and ‘Neerja’ with Spanish sub-titles were screened on 8 March. All three movies received huge appreciation of the audience.
Indian community
36. There are around 50 NRIs and 30 PIOs in Venezuela.
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(15 March, 2025)
