US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s India visit skips New Delhi entirely, sparking a political row.

Rubio, visiting October 18 to 22, will meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Mumbai.

US Ambassador Sergio Gor said Washington “expected” Jaishankar and other officials to travel to Mumbai to meet him.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh called the ambassador’s statement “quite extraordinary.”

Rahul Gandhi wrote that Rubio had “summoned his employee to Mumbai.”

Skipping the capital is rare but not unprecedented. In October 2025, Keir Starmer focused his visit on Mumbai.

India’s foreign ministry said the talks would cover energy, trade, defence and emerging technologies.

Rubio is also expected to visit Reliance’s Jamnagar refinery, the world’s largest oil refinery.

Read the full article for more details on Rubio’s India visit.