Marco Rubio's second India visit this year is billed as business-focused, with energy, trade and investment on the agenda while a final bilateral trade agreement remains unsettled.

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• The US State Department said Marco Rubio will visit Uzbekistan and India between 17 and 22 October 2026.
• In Uzbekistan he will take part in a C5+1 ministerial meeting with five Central Asian countries.
• In India his itinerary includes Mumbai and Jamnagar, with business meetings in Mumbai and engagement with Reliance at Jamnagar.
• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is expected to meet him in Mumbai.
• US Ambassador Sergio Gor described the visit as more business-focused, covering trade, energy cooperation, technology and investment.
• It is Rubio's second official visit to India this year, after his trip in late May.
• In February, India and the US reached a framework for an interim trade agreement lowering tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 50%, half of which was linked to India's Russian oil purchases.
• A final bilateral trade agreement remains unresolved, with differences reported over tariffs, market access and sensitive domestic sectors.
• Gor said the two sides have resolved several major issues and that negotiations are progressing rapidly.
• Merchandise exports to the United States rose 11.1% in April–September 2026, reaching $50.81 billion.
• Gor cited growing defence ties, noting that American F-35 jets took part for the first time in an exercise in Rajasthan.

Tags: IndiaUSRelations, MarcoRubio, IndiaUSTradeDeal