Rubio Holds Talks in Mumbai to Advance Trade Deal with India

Source reports published 21 Oct 2026, 2:32 am AEST

Secretary of State Marco Rubio engaged in discussions with India's foreign minister and the UAE foreign minister in Mumbai, focusing on finalizing a trade deal and addressing regional energy security. Negotiations regarding trade and energy cooperation continue despite ongoing tariffs.

What happened

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with India's foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and the UAE foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Mumbai on Tuesday.
• The discussions centered on deepening trade, energy, technology, and defense ties between the United States and India.
• Rubio stated that the two countries were ‘about as close as you can be without having executed the agreement’ regarding a trade deal, citing remaining ‘small number of items’ to finalize.
• India continues to purchase discounted Russian crude, a factor straining relations with the United States.
• The U.S. views India as a key counterweight to China in the Indo-Pacific.
• Rubio’s visit followed a trip to Uzbekistan to promote trade and ties with Central Asia.
• Rubio noted India’s diversification of energy sources while maintaining substantial Russian oil purchases, acknowledging the difficulty of immediate shifts in suppliers.
• The meeting included a trilateral discussion with the UAE on regional energy security and shared economic priorities.
• Rubio is scheduled to visit a refinery operated by Reliance Industries, the world’s largest refining complex, and meet with business leaders.

Original reporting

• PBS NewsHour: WATCH: Rubio honors U.S.-India relations at America 250 celebration in Mumbai
  2026-10-20T16:32:18+00:00
• New York Times World: Rubio Travels to India to Strengthen Economic Ties Amid Strained U.S. Relations
  2026-10-20T16:32:18+00:00