Marco Rubio’s India Visit Sparks Political Row as Jaishankar Set to Meet US Secretary in Mumbai

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s second visit to India has triggered a political controversy after plans emerged for him to meet Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Mumbai rather than New Delhi.

Rubio is scheduled to meet Jaishankar in Mumbai on Monday for discussions on trade, energy and bilateral investment. He is also expected to visit an oil refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat, according to the reported itinerary.

The US State Department has described the visit as focused primarily on energy cooperation, trade and bilateral investment. However, the planned meeting in Mumbai has drawn criticism from Indian opposition leaders, who have questioned the diplomatic implications of the arrangement.

The controversy intensified after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said Washington had conveyed its expectation that Jaishankar would be present in Mumbai to meet Rubio.

The prospect of India’s foreign minister travelling to another Indian city for a meeting requested by a visiting US official prompted criticism from opposition figures.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at the arrangement, suggesting that Rubio was summoning one of his employees in Mumbai.

Other opposition leaders described the development as a diplomatic failure for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, arguing that India’s foreign minister should not appear to be responding to the demands of a foreign government on Indian soil.

The criticism has turned what is primarily a visit focused on economic cooperation into a wider political debate over India’s diplomatic stature and its relationship with Washington.

Energy cooperation is expected to be a major focus of Rubio’s trip, particularly in connection with the refinery complex operated by Reliance Industries in Jamnagar, Gujarat, one of the world’s largest refining hubs.

The visit comes amid attention to Reliance’s purchases of Venezuelan crude oil and its investment plans in Texas. These commercial interests are seen as relevant to the broader energy discussions between the two countries.

The proposed refinery visit also highlights the importance of India’s private energy sector in the economic relationship between New Delhi and Washington.

Rubio’s visit comes at a time when India-US relations are facing friction over trade tariffs, US pressure on India to reduce or halt imports of Russian oil, and visa issues affecting technology professionals.

Against this backdrop, discussions on energy, trade and investment are expected to carry broader strategic significance.

While the US administration has emphasized the economic objectives of the visit, the meeting arrangements have generated fresh debate within India over diplomatic protocol and the balance of power in bilateral relations.

The outcome of the talks could provide further indications of how the two countries intend to manage their economic interests and ongoing disagreements.