Marco Rubio Visits India and Uzbekistan 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 approximately 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 S. Jaishankar in Mumbai. He announced that the U.S. and India are "very close" to finalizing a bilateral trade agreement, noting they are "about as close as you can be without having executed the agreement." This progress follows a decision by President Donald Trump to waive sanctions under the Graham Act, which would have imposed tariffs of up to 100% on importers of Russian oil, including India.
Rubio characterized India as a "refining superpower" and visited the Reliance Industries refinery in Jamnagar to discuss processing Venezuelan heavy crude to stabilize global energy prices. In Mumbai, Rubio, Jaishankar, and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan also held a trilateral meeting to discuss regional energy security and economic priorities. 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.
