US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Mumbai on Tuesday and paid tribute to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks as he began a three-day visit to India aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.
Rubio laid a wreath at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, where six American citizens were among those killed in the November 26, 2008, attacks. In a post on X, he honoured the victims and those who responded to the attacks, reaffirming the India-US partnership and their shared commitment to combating terrorism.
During his visit, Rubio also backed the prospect of discussions between the United States, Russia and China on arms control at the leadership level. He said communication among the three major nuclear powers would be beneficial despite their differences. US President Donald Trump has expressed openness to such talks.
Rubio’s meeting with Jaishankar is expected to cover trade, investment, defence, energy and critical technologies, alongside efforts to advance the proposed bilateral trade agreement. The visit comes amid tensions over US tariffs on Indian goods, immigration policies and disagreements over Trump's claims regarding the de-escalation of the India-Pakistan military clashes in May 2025.
Ahead of the visit, Rubio said in Uzbekistan that Washington was “very close” to finalising a trade deal with India. Jaishankar has also said the negotiations were nearing a “landing point”.
Separately, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met US congressional staffers in Mumbai on Tuesday. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, discussions covered the importance of bilateral ties and cooperation in technology and defence, as well as people-to-people connections.
Rubio, who is accompanied by a business delegation, is also scheduled to attend a reception marking the 250th anniversary of US independence and travel to Jamnagar, Gujarat, on Wednesday.