Jaishankar to host Rubio and UAE foreign minister in back-to-back Mumbai visits

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will host his counterparts from the UAE and the U.S. in Mumbai in two separate visits on October 19 and 20, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday (October 16, 2026).

The meetings will discuss India’s bilateral relations with the two strategic partners, as well as regional issues and ongoing conflicts in West Asia. The back-to-back visits highlight India's focus on its key partners at a time of geopolitical uncertainty.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the UAE visit would review the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, covering energy, trade and investment, fintech, defence and connectivity, along with the situation in West Asia. There will naturally be a detailed exchange of views on the situation in West Asia as also on global and multilateral issues.

On October 20, Jaishankar will stay on in Mumbai for the visit of Marco Rubio and attend celebrations of the 250th anniversary of American Independence with him. This is the second time Jaishankar will be the guest of honour at U.S. Embassy events for the 250th anniversary, after he attended a celebration in New Delhi in May.

Rubio's visit will come just after the deadline for U.S. President Donald Trump to decide on imposing tariffs as sanctions for the purchase of Russian oil by countries, including India. Jaiswal noted that Rubio’s visit would allow both sides to discuss energy, trade, defence, critical technologies and regional developments under the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.

Jaiswal defended the decision to host foreign dignitaries outside the capital, saying it is the practice over the last decade to host foreign dignitaries from time to time in various cities of India. He cited examples including the Prime Minister receiving the Spanish prime minister in Vadodara, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ahmedabad and the Mauritian prime minister in Varanasi. Jaishankar himself has previously hosted the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting in Goa.

Controversy over ambassador's remarks

The visits have sparked political debate. Speaking at a Bloomberg media event on Thursday, US Ambassador Sergio Gor described the Mumbai trip as largely business-focused, with Rubio meeting Government of India officials. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the remarks, likening them to saying that Rubio had “summoned his employee to Mumbai”. Fellow Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned why the announcement of the Indian minister’s participation appeared to come from the American side rather than the MEA itself. Jaiswal did not directly respond to a question about Gor’s comments.

Rubio will arrive in Mumbai on Vijayadasami, straight from a visit to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and is expected to spend Tuesday at the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai and attend business events, the bilateral meeting with Jaishankar. On Wednesday, Rubio will travel with his wife Jeanette to Jamnagar, Gujarat, to see the Reliance energy refinery and the Vantara animal facility, a trip officials called a private visit.