Marco Rubio Visits Uzbekistan and India to Finalize Trade Deal
Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Uzbekistan and India to secure critical mineral supply chains and finalize a bilateral trade agreement with New Delhi.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio conducted a diplomatic and commercial tour of Uzbekistan and India from October 17 to 22, 2026. In Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Rubio led a delegation of nearly 300 business leaders for the C5+1 Ministerial, securing over 50 contracts worth $12 billion in technology and energy. The visit aimed to expand U.S. influence in Central Asia and secure critical mineral supply chains to reduce dependence on China.
Upon arriving in India on October 20, Rubio met with External Affairs Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar in Mumbai. He announced that the U.S. and India are very close to finalizing a bilateral trade agreement, a process facilitated by President Donald Trump's decision to waive sanctions under the Graham Act for buyers of Russian oil. The two officials also held a trilateral meeting with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss regional energy security and stability in West Asia.
Rubio characterized India as a refining superpower and visited the Reliance Industries complex in Jamnagar to discuss increasing the processing of Venezuelan crude oil. This engagement coincides with Reliance's planned $300 billion investment in a new refinery in Texas. While the visit focused on economic ties, it also included a wreath-laying ceremony at the Taj Memorial in Mumbai to honor victims of the 2008 terror attacks. The tour faced some criticism from former diplomats who claimed Rubio avoided high-conflict zones, a charge the State Department dismissed as the product of a smug foreign policy establishment.
