Congress probes why MEA has not confirmed Rubio‑Jaishankar talks in Mumbai

Congress on Thursday demanded an explanation for the Ministry of External Affairs’ silence over a planned meeting in Mumbai between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. The demand was voiced by Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh, who cited remarks made by U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor at an interactive session of the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi. Gor said Rubio would meet Indian officials in Mumbai and added that Minister Jaishankar was expected to join the meeting along with other individuals. Ramesh questioned why such an announcement was made by the ambassador rather than the MEA’s official spokesperson. Rubio’s itinerary includes a stop in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, followed by visits to Mumbai and Jamnagar, Gujarat, scheduled for October 17‑22, 2026. The Congress’s criticism echoes a previous episode on May 10, 2025 when India first learned about the halting of Operation Sindoor from Rubio himself. ## Context The Ministry of External Affairs usually announces foreign‑minister engagements through its own press office. When a foreign ambassador publicly shares those details, it can raise questions about diplomatic protocol and information control.