Diplomatic row erupts as Marco Rubio skips Delhi for Mumbai and Jamnagar visit
New Delhi: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is heading to India next week for his second trip in six months, but the itinerary has kicked off a massive political row back home. Instead of the usual diplomatic stop in New Delhi, Rubio is travelling straight to Mumbai and Jamnagar between 20 and 22 October. Jamnagar is home to Reliance Industries’ massive oil refinery, coming months after US President Donald Trump announced a $300-billion Texas refinery project backed by the Indian conglomerate.
The controversy started when the visit was first announced by the US State Department rather than New Delhi. US envoy Sergio Gor then publicly mentioned at a media event that Washington expects External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to meet Rubio in Mumbai. Traditionally, bilateral talks are announced first by the host nation, leading critics to ask why Washington broke protocol.
The Ministry of External Affairs officially cleared the air on Friday, confirming that Jaishankar will meet Rubio in Mumbai on 20 October. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal explained that hosting foreign leaders in different commercial and regional hubs across India has been standard practice for the past decade, especially for visits focused on business and energy partnerships.
Opposition slams govt over protocol
The Congress launched a sharp attack against the Modi government, alleging that India’s foreign policy is being compromised. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi took a direct swipe on social media, writing, “Rubio has summoned his employee to Mumbai. Modi, your officials in the External Affairs Ministry are confused about what’s going on. You might want to explain. Unless, of course, you want me to.”
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned why an overseas diplomat broke the news before Indian officials could speak. “Since when has the announcement of India’s Minister of External Affairs meetings within India been outsourced to somebody other than the official spokesperson of the MEA?” Ramesh posted. Party spokesperson Pawan Khera added that letting a foreign power dictate terms on Indian soil marked a serious lapse in protocol.
Energy focus amid tariff pressures
The diplomatic friction comes at a delicate time for bilateral relations. A long-discussed trade pact is still stuck in legal drafting, while tensions have grown over US legislation targeting Russian energy imports.
The Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, recently signed by President Trump, allows the US to slap tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries importing Russian oil, including India. Despite Washington recently securing its own diesel purchases from Moscow, India faces mounting pressure over its supply chains, making Rubio’s meetings in Mumbai and Jamnagar critical for both sides.