Marco Rubio jokes about embassy parties at Mumbai America 250 event

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio joked about the number of American independence celebrations hosted by the US Embassy in India at an America 250 reception in Mumbai on Tuesday, October 20. Hindustan Times reported that he made the remark at the Jio World Convention Center, where he referred to another embassy celebration in Delhi during his visit in May.

Rubio said he was starting to think the embassy only threw parties, according to Hindustan Times. Recalling the earlier event, he said US envoy Sergio Gor had hosted a ‘big 250 party’ in Delhi and that they had now gathered for another in Mumbai. He also joked that celebrating the 251st anniversary next year would not have the same appeal.

A second anniversary event during Rubio’s India visits

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers attended the Mumbai event. Rubio acknowledged the delegation in his remarks and, continuing the joke, asked its members not to go back to Washington saying that embassy staff only threw parties, Hindustan Times reported.

Trade and energy talks in Mumbai

The Associated Press independently reported that Rubio attended the America 250 celebration in Mumbai. Earlier on Tuesday, he held talks there with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar as the two governments sought to deepen energy cooperation and advance trade negotiations.

Rubio told reporters the countries were very close to a trade agreement but had not executed one. He said a small number of items remained to be settled and expected that to happen shortly, AP reported. The talks had been stalled for months amid tensions over US tariffs and India’s purchases of Russian oil.

Jaishankar said the ministers discussed trade, energy, technology, defense and regional developments, according to AP. The two also met United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Rubio said their trilateral discussion covered regional energy security and shared economic priorities.