Secretary of State Rubio visits Uzbekistan and India to promote U.S. ties and trade
Summary
Secretary of State Marco Rubio left Washington on a 31st trip abroad as America's top diplomat, heading to Uzbekistan and India, The Philadelphia Inquirer and ABC News reported on Sunday 18 October. PBS NewsHour said the tour is intended to promote U.S. economic and security ties with Central and South Asia but has only tangential links to the Trump administration's current main foreign policy dilemmas in the Middle East and with the Russia-Ukraine war, and the Inquirer and ABC News that the trip comes amid rumblings that Rubio is ignoring pressing matters in favor of more politically safe visits and meetings. On Monday 19 October, the Inquirer and ABC News reported that Rubio is in Uzbekistan promoting trade and ties with Central Asia. On Tuesday 20 October, Rubio held talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Mumbai as the US and India aim to finalize a trade deal, the Inquirer and ABC News reported. Fortune reported that Rubio said 'we're about as close as you can be' to an India trade deal after the talks, recalling that the U.S. imposed tariffs of up to 50% on most Indian goods in August 2025 after trade talks broke down.
Latest: Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Mumbai as the US and India aim to finalize a trade deal, The Philadelphia Inquirer and ABC News reported, Fortune quoting Rubio as saying 'we're about as close as you can be' to an India trade deal.
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How it unfolded
Tuesday 20 October
Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Mumbai as the US and India aim to finalize a trade deal, The Philadelphia Inquirer and ABC News reported, Fortune quoting Rubio as saying 'we're about as close as you can be' to an India trade deal.
- 09:37FortuneMarco Rubio says ‘we’re about as close as you can be’ to an India trade deal after talks in Mumbai
- 08:18ABC NewsRubio and Jaishankar hold talks in Mumbai as US and India aim to finalize trade deal
- 07:15The Philadelphia InquirerRubio and Jaishankar hold talks in Mumbai as US and India aim to finalize trade deal
Monday 19 October
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Uzbekistan promoting trade and ties with Central Asia, The Philadelphia Inquirer and ABC News reported.
- 05:54ABC NewsRubio is in Uzbekistan to promote US ties and trade with Central Asia
- 04:59The Philadelphia InquirerRubio is in Uzbekistan to promote US ties and trade with Central Asia
Sunday 18 October
Secretary of State Marco Rubio left Washington for Uzbekistan and India on a 31st trip abroad as America's top diplomat, a tour intended to promote U.S. economic and security ties with Central and South Asia, PBS NewsHour reported, amid rumblings that Rubio is ignoring pressing matters in favor of more politically safe visits and meetings, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer and ABC News.
- 15:49PBS NewsHourRubio heads to Central Asia as some wonder if he's keeping the most pressing matters at a distance
- 00:21ABC NewsRubio heads to Central Asia as some wonder if he's keeping the most pressing matters at a distance
- 00:05The Philadelphia InquirerRubio heads to Central Asia as some wonder if he's keeping the most pressing matters at a distance