US secretary of state Rubio hails India's energy diversification drive

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held high-level talks with India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, in Mumbai. The meeting comes as New Delhi and Washington seek to finalize a long-awaited trade agreement. Rubio has welcomed India's efforts to diversify its energy sources, saying New Delhi has made substantial progress. He said the U.S. wants a strong ally with diverse energy sources. Rubio has also highlighted India's oil refining capacity, calling it a refining superpower. He stressed that Washington looks to strengthen energy cooperation with New Delhi amid global supply disruptions and rising oil prices. First of all, I think what India has expressed repeatedly is their desire to diversify their energy portfolio, which is a smart thing to do. Obviously, it's not easy to do that from one day to the next. So I think they've made substantial progress in that regard, and we're happy to see that. But in the end, it's not just about Russian oil, it's about their desire to diversify. And obviously, we think we could be a source of some of their energy inputs. In his meeting with S. Jaishankar, Rubio has also defended Washington's decision to waive sanctions linked to Russian oil and gas. The U.S. Secretary of State has acknowledged that India continues to depend significantly on Russian energy while also diversifying its sources of supply. Rubio has also spoken about plans for a trade deal between India and the U.S. As far as the trade agreement is concerned, obviously the State Department doesn't negotiate trade agreements, but we are very much involved in what's happened in my purchase. National Security Advisor, we care a lot about it. We're very, very close. I would say we're about as close as you can be without an even executed agreement. This is Rubio's second visit to India this year. During his May visit, he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and attended a Quad Foreign Ministers meeting. Before landing in Mumbai, Rubio visited Uzbekistan where he called for stronger partnerships with Central Asian countries. As part of his Mumbai engagements, Rubio laid a wreath at the Taj Memorial to honour the victims of the 26-11 terror attacks, which killed 166 people, including six American nationals. He is also scheduled to attend a reception marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. Rubio will travel to Jamnagar in Gujarat on Wednesday, with energy cooperation expected to feature prominently. India's opposition has questioned Rubio's decision not to visit New Delhi, But government has cited examples of several foreign leaders and ministers being hosted outside the capital. India and the U.S. have been negotiating a trade deal since early 2025. The talks aim to resolve tariff disputes, reduce trade barriers and improve market access. India is also seeking better tariff terms for its exports to the U.S. The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is in India and in Mumbai. He held talks with the Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar. Now, the visit focuses on several areas from energy to trade and, of course, rising anti-India rhetoric and racism against Indian community members in the U.S. In fact, the visit happens at a time when the relationship has seen a lot of strain with, of course, Donald Trump's actions. We know that a waiver was given last week over the Russia sanctions law. That means India and other countries that have been importing Russian energy could continue to do so. But this is a temporary waiver. And within 60 days, the U.S. administration will review that. But clearly, India has stated in the past that India's energy security is a decision that the Indian side will take under its own national interest. But will this visit bring a turnaround in the relationship? That is something that we have to see, wait and watch. Video journalist, Bhushan Sambal for VION in New Delhi.