US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in India for a two-day visit focused on trade negotiations, energy ties and Russian oil purchases, with officials saying a comprehensive India-US trade deal is close to completion.
Mumbai, October 20 — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in India on Tuesday for a two-day visit, with the proposed India-US trade agreement and India’s purchases of Russian crude oil expected to dominate discussions.
Rubio landed in Mumbai, where he is scheduled to meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar as well as business leaders during visits to Mumbai and Jamnagar.
His itinerary also includes Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, whose company operates the world’s largest refining complex at Jamnagar.
The visit comes as officials from both countries say a comprehensive trade deal is nearly complete, raising the possibility that an agreement could be signed during Rubio’s visit.
A major potential hurdle was eased last week when US President Donald Trump waived tariffs that could have penalised India for buying large volumes of Russian crude oil.
The US law signed in September gives the administration authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest importers of Russian oil, a group that includes India.
Trump, however, waived the law’s substantive provisions for now.
Rubio has said progress towards finalising the trade agreement was one factor behind the decision to provide the tariff waiver.
He has also said India is gradually diversifying its energy imports away from Russia, although Russian crude still remains an important part of the country’s energy mix.
The US administration has now entered a 60-day review period, during which it will consider whether any new tariffs should be imposed.
Rubio said India faces practical constraints in changing energy suppliers quickly and described the country as an important US partner.
India imports more than 85% of its crude oil requirements, making access to competitively priced energy supplies crucial for the economy.
The issue has become more complex because, while Washington has previously pushed India to reduce Russian oil purchases, the US itself signed a deal with Russia last week to import diesel in an effort to lower domestic fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections.
Rubio said countries must consider geography, supply availability and other economic realities when making energy sourcing decisions.
His India visit therefore comes at a significant moment for bilateral economic relations, with trade, tariffs and energy security all closely linked to the broader strategic partnership between New Delhi and Washington.
