Rubio heads to India and Uzbekistan to deepen energy and strategic ties

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio departed for India and Uzbekistan on Saturday, with energy cooperation, trade, and strategic ties expected to dominate his October 20 visit, following a temporary pause in President Donald Trump's tariff threat over Russian oil purchases. The visit comes after Trump paused key provisions of the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which could have imposed tariffs of up to 100 percent on goods from major buyers of Russian oil, including India and China. Rubio defended the 60-day pause, saying India's energy needs and strategic importance required analysis of the measures' impact on global and US economies. During his visit, Rubio will meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Mumbai and tour Reliance Industries' refinery hub in Jamnagar on October 21, before attending the C5+1 ministerial meeting in Uzbekistan to discuss strategic cooperation with Central Asian countries.