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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 21 (IST) said Washington is keen to expand energy exports to India, describing the country as a "great ally" and "great partner" as he prepares for a visit that will focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation in energy, trade, defence and regional security.

Rubio said the United States is ready to supply India with as much energy as it is willing to purchase..

"We want to sell them as much energy as they will buy. We are at historic levels of US production and US exports. We want to be able to do more," Rubio said, adding that discussions to increase energy cooperation with India were already underway.

The remarks come as the US seeks to deepen its role in India's energy basket amid growing global concerns over energy security and supply-chain resilience. Rubio said Washingtonwants to become "a bigger part" of India's energy portfolio and pointed to potential opportunities involving Venezuelan oil as well.

"There is a lot to work on with India,"Rubio said. "They are a great ally, a great partner. We do a lot of good work with them."

Referring to Venezuela, Rubio noted that the country's interim president is expected to travel to India next week, which could open additional avenues for energy-related discussions.

The US Secretary of State's comments come ahead of his scheduled visit to India from May 23 to May 26, during which he is expected to hold discussions on energy security, trade and defence cooperation with senior Indian officials. The visit will also coincide with engagements linked to the Quad grouping, which comprises India, the United States, Japan and Australia.

Rubio confirmed that Quad-related meetings would form part of the visit. "We will also meet with the Quad there," he said, expressing satisfaction over the opportunity to engage with Indian counterparts now and again later in the year.