US secretary of state Rubio to visit India next week for strategic, energy talks

File photo: US secretary of state Marco Rubio is set to visit Mumbai and Jamnagar from October 17-22

NEW DELHI: US secretary of state Marco Rubio will visit Mumbai and Jamnagar from October 17 to 22 as part of a trip to India and Uzbekistan, with talks in India set to focus on strengthening bilateral strategic ties and expanding energy cooperation.According to a media note issued by the US department of state, Rubio will travel to Samarkand in Uzbekistan before arriving in India for his second official visit to the country this year.During his India visit, Rubio is set to meet senior government officials to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership, exchange views on regional and global developments, and discuss prospects for enhanced energy cooperation.

He will also meet business leaders to explore opportunities for commercial investment and economic cooperation between the two countries.Before travelling to India, Rubio will participate in the C5+1 Ministerial in Uzbekistan, where he is expected to highlight strategic cooperation between Washington and the five Central Asian countries: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.

Rubio will also hold bilateral meetings with senior officials from the participating countries. The Uzbekistan leg of his trip will include a US commercial delegation comprising more than 200 business leaders, aimed at strengthening commercial ties between the United States and Central Asia.

The visit comes as New Delhi and Washington resume high-level engagement. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Monday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump had spoken the previous week, adding that further developments in bilateral ties were expected.Speaking at an event in Kolkata marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, Gor highlighted cooperation between the two countries in defence, information technology and healthcare.He pointed to recent military exercises involving Indian and American forces, as well as the presence of US F-35 aircraft in Rajasthan for the first time. Gor also cited cross-border investments and India's role as a supplier of generic pharmaceuticals to the US.Rubio last visited India from May 23 to 26.