Marco Rubio to visit Mumbai, Jamnagar to advance India-US energy ties

Marco Rubio will travel to Mumbai and Jamnagar from October 17 to 22 to advance energy cooperation between the United States and India, the U.S. Department of State said on Tuesday (October 13, 2026). The visit will follow his participation in a ministerial meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

India visit to focus on energy and strategic ties

Rubio will meet senior Indian government officials to strengthen the U.S.-India strategic partnership, exchange views on regional and global dynamics, and discuss prospects for enhanced energy cooperation, the State Department said.

He will also meet business leaders to promote commercial investment and economic cooperation, according to the department.

The India visit will be Rubio’s second since May, when he attended the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting hosted by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi.

The announcement was made as the United States and India continue to focus on energy cooperation and commercial ties.

Why Jamnagar is on the itinerary

Rubio’s planned visit to Jamnagar is significant because the city is home to Reliance’s refinery, described in the source as the world’s largest single-site facility.

The refinery has a capacity to process 1.4 million barrels per day of crude oil.

Jamnagar is also linked to a refinery project announced by U.S. President Donald Trump in March. Trump said the United States would build its first refinery in 50 years with investment from Reliance Industries.

The refinery is planned for Brownsville in Texas at a cost of $300 billion, Mr. Trump said.

The Jamnagar stop therefore comes against the backdrop of wider discussions involving energy infrastructure, investment and commercial cooperation between the two countries.

Samarkand leg and Central Asia outreach

Before travelling to India, Rubio will participate in the C5+1 Ministerial in Samarkand. The meeting will highlight how strategic cooperation through the diplomatic platform can promote a more peaceful and prosperous future for the United States and the countries of Central Asia, the source said.

Rubio will also hold bilateral engagements with senior officials from all C5 countries: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.

A U.S. commercial delegation comprising over 200 business leaders will accompany him during the Central Asia leg, in what the source described as a new era of strengthened commercial cooperation for the United States and Central Asia.

The itinerary consequently combines regional diplomacy in Samarkand with energy, investment and strategic discussions in India.

Source: The Hindu