Jaishankar and Marco Rubio to meet in Mumbai on October 20, MEA announces

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Mumbai on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the meeting following questions raised by the Congress party about the venue being outside New Delhi.

Discussions And Venue

The talks will review bilateral relations and explore ways to strengthen the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Key topics include energy, trade, investment, defence, and critical technologies, alongside regional and global developments. According to the MEA, hosting dignitaries in cities outside the national capital follows a decade-long practice of showcasing different Indian cities for international interactions, citing past visits hosted in Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Varanasi, Goa, Kevadia, and Amritsar. U.S. State Department details note that Marco Rubio travels to India from Uzbekistan for a two-nation visit, arriving in Mumbai after stopping in Jamnagar.

Other Diplomatic Visits

The Ministry also announced that Mr. Jaishankar will host UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Mumbai on October 19 and 20. That visit will cover bilateral cooperation in energy, trade, fintech, defence, connectivity, and the situation in West Asia. On Canada, the MEA noted that the Canadian Foreign Minister recently visited India to discuss bilateral ties and a proposed visit by the Indian Prime Minister. Separately, India criticised remarks by U.S. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal as unwarranted and an interference in democratic electoral practices.

Context

High-level diplomatic visits between India and the United States frequently involve discussions on defence trade, energy security, and regional strategy in the Indo-Pacific region. Mumbai serves as India's financial hub, making it a frequent venue for high-level economic and diplomatic engagements with visiting foreign ministers and international business leaders.