External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Mumbai on October 20, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed. The announcement came amid criticism from opposition parties over the lack of prior information about the meeting, which is part of a series of diplomatic engagements in the city this week.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that Jaishankar will also host the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on October 19 and 20 before meeting Rubio. The meeting with Rubio coincides with the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence, where Jaishankar will attend as the Guest of Honour, according to livemint.com.
The opposition criticised the government for the timing and manner of the announcement, with Congress leaders questioning why details of Jaishankar’s meetings within India were not disclosed by official MEA channels first. The engagement with Rubio is significant amid ongoing discussions on energy and trade between India and the US, highlighting the strategic importance of the visit.
The MEA confirmed the schedule during a press conference on October 15, setting the stage for high-level talks in Mumbai. The meeting will be closely watched for developments in bilateral relations, especially in energy cooperation and trade agreements.