New Delhi, October 16: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday criticised the Centre over US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s upcoming visit to India, alleging a lack of clarity within the Ministry of External Affairs regarding the trip.
In a post on X, the Congress MP took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and questioned the government’s handling of the visit.
“Mr Rubio has summoned his employee to Mumbai. Modi ji, your officials in the External Affairs Ministry are confused about what’s going on. You might want to explain. Unless, of course, you want me to,” Gandhi wrote.
According to a media note issued by the US Department of State, Rubio is scheduled to visit India and Uzbekistan from October 17 to 22.
During his stay in India, the US Secretary of State will travel to Mumbai and Jamnagar, where he is expected to meet senior Indian government officials. Discussions are likely to cover the bilateral strategic partnership, regional and international developments, and opportunities to expand energy cooperation.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is expected to meet Rubio in Mumbai as part of the diplomatic engagements.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Thursday that Rubio’s visit would have a stronger business focus, with particular attention to bilateral trade, energy partnerships, technological cooperation and investment opportunities.
The visiting US official is also scheduled to interact with business leaders to encourage commercial engagement and strengthen economic ties between New Delhi and Washington.
This will be Rubio’s second official visit to India this year. His previous trip took place from May 23 to 26.
Earlier, Gor highlighted the expanding relationship between the two countries across defence, information technology and healthcare. Speaking at an event in Kolkata to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence, he described India as a significant partner for the United States.
Referring to defence ties, the ambassador pointed to military exercises involving Indian and American forces, as well as the participation of US defence platforms in activities in India.
He also underscored the potential for greater collaboration in technology, noting that Indian companies were investing in the United States while American businesses were establishing major production facilities in India.
Gor said healthcare remained another important area of cooperation, highlighting US imports of generic medicines from India and the strength of the Indian pharmaceutical sector.
The ambassador also referred to a recent conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, indicating that further developments in bilateral relations could follow.
Before travelling to India, Rubio is scheduled to visit Samarkand in Uzbekistan for the C5+1 Ministerial meeting. His programme there will include discussions with senior officials from Central Asian countries, with strategic partnerships and commercial relations expected to feature prominently.
Rubio’s engagements in India come amid efforts by both countries to deepen cooperation in trade, energy, technology and security. His meetings with Indian officials and business representatives are expected to provide an opportunity to discuss shared priorities and explore new areas of economic collaboration.