Marco Rubio arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, accompanied by a sizable business delegation, to kick off a three‑day tour focused on energy, trade, defense, and technology.
In Mumbai, Rubio will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to discuss the India‑U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and a long‑stalled bilateral trade deal that has stalled over tariff disputes.
He will also lay a wreath at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel’s memorial for the 26/11 terror attack that claimed more than 160 lives, including six Americans, underscoring the personal cost of diplomatic ties.
The visit follows a period of strained relations after Washington imposed punitive tariffs and tightened immigration rules, prompting Indian officials to accuse the U.S. of eroding regional stability through visa restrictions on firms like Tata and Wipro.
Rubio is scheduled to travel to Jamnagar in Gujarat on Wednesday, where he will meet defense ministers and discuss joint naval exercises and technology exchanges, following his remarks in Uzbekistan that the U.S. is close to finalizing the trade agreement.
The next milestone will be a bilateral trade forum on Thursday, where both sides will decide whether to sign the pact and chart a roadmap for future investment, a decision that could redefine Indo‑U.S. relations for years.