U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to meet Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Mumbai on Oct. 20, as energy cooperation and continuing trade talks shape the visit’s economic agenda.
The U.S. Department of State said Rubio will discuss closer energy cooperation with Indian officials and meet business leaders to promote investment. It also listed regional and global developments and the broader U.S.-India strategic partnership among the subjects for his visit.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs expects the Mumbai talks to cover energy, trade and investment, defense, critical and emerging technologies, and regional and global developments. The ministry said Jaishankar will be guest of honor at a reception marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Oct. 14 that the two governments remained engaged on a bilateral trade agreement.
The State Department calls this Rubio’s second official visit to India this year. Its travel notice dates his wider trip to Oct. 17-22 and names Jamnagar as a destination, without saying when he will be there.
News24, citing a ministry media advisory, reported that Rubio is due to arrive in Mumbai at 4:45 a.m. ET (08:45 UTC) on Oct. 20. It listed a wreath-laying at the Taj Memorial for 6:10 a.m. ET (10:10 UTC), talks with Jaishankar for 6:20 a.m. ET (10:20 UTC) and the reception for 9:05 a.m. ET (13:05 UTC). ET Now published the same timetable.
NDTV Profit reported plans for Rubio to meet business executives, investors and banking officials in Mumbai on Oct. 21, followed by a Reliance Industries refinery tour in Jamnagar on Oct. 22. News24 and ET Now report that he is scheduled to leave Mumbai for Jamnagar at 1 a.m. ET (05:00 UTC) on Oct. 21.
