Critical minerals push: Venezuela seeks deeper ties with India; Piyush Goyal calls for reviving joint mechanism
In a meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Venezuela’s Minister of Ecological Mining Development Hector Silva, the Venezuelan side conveyed interest in widening economic collaboration, particularly in mining and exploration, PTI reported.
“During the meeting, the Venezuelan side expressed interest in expanding economic engagement with India beyond the oil sector, including cooperation in critical minerals and attracting Indian investment,” the ministry said on Saturday.Goyal called for reactivating the India–Venezuela Joint Committee Mechanism — dormant for a decade — and noted that ONGC’s existing operations in Venezuela provide a platform for deeper engagement in mineral development.He also suggested that Venezuela consider adopting the Indian Pharmacopeia to help streamline pharmaceutical trade and pointed to opportunities to boost cooperation in the automobile sector.Meanwhile, the ministry said an MoU has been signed by the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited, Logistics Data Services Limited, and the Andhra Pradesh government to digitise the state’s logistics ecosystem under the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP).The initiative will create an integrated digital system offering real-time visibility of logistics operations and performance indicators, with the aim of improving coordination, operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making for government and private stakeholders.
