US Secretary of State meets Jaishankar in Mumbai amid strains over tariffs, visas and Washington’s ties with Pakistan
Mumbai, October 20: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday urged India to step up purchases of American energy, technology and defence systems during talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Mumbai.
According to a State Department readout, Rubio said greater energy trade with the US could transform India’s supply chains while meeting its large demand. He welcomed progress in defence and civil nuclear cooperation and pushed for more purchases of US technologies and military equipment. There was no immediate response from Indian officials.
Jaishankar said the two discussed trade, energy, technology, defence and people-to-people ties, along with regional developments. Rubio, on his second visit in under five months and accompanied by a large business delegation, said the two sides were “very, very close” to finalising a bilateral trade deal. He said only a few items remained to be settled, and the leaders could sign it soon after.
The talks took place against a backdrop of strain over the Trump administration’s trade policies, immigration curbs affecting Indian professionals, and Washington’s growing closeness to Pakistan’s military leadership. Russia still supplies more than half of India’s crude, while the US ranked third with 5.1% in August.
Rubio said disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Houthi attacks and strikes on refineries had caused diesel shortages worldwide. He described India as a “refining superpower” and suggested Indian firms could refine Venezuelan heavy crude, a topic he will raise during Wednesday’s visit to Reliance’s Jamnagar refinery.
About The Author
