India defends Jaishankar-Rubio Mumbai meeting, cites precedent for hosting foreign leaders
India's government defended External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's upcoming meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Mumbai, rejecting opposition claims that the minister had been "summoned" by American officials. The Ministry of External Affairs cited a decade-long practice of hosting foreign dignitaries in various Indian cities, including the Spanish PM in Baroda, German Chancellor Merz in Ahmedabad, and the Mauritian PM in Varanasi. Jaishankar will also host his UAE counterpart in Mumbai a day before the Rubio meeting. The Oct 20 talks with Rubio will review India-US relations under the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, covering energy, trade, defence, and technology. Jaishankar will be guest of honour at US's 250th anniversary celebrations in Mumbai.