Rubio says India-U.S. trade deal close, urges New Delhi to boost energy and defence buys

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that an India-U.S. trade deal is close to completion, urging New Delhi to increase purchases of American energy, technology, and defence systems during his visit to Mumbai. Rubio met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, with both sides welcoming progress on the Bilateral Trade Agreement and reaffirming commitment to its early conclusion. Rubio described India as a refining "superpower" and advocated for processing more Venezuelan crude, while the State Department commended recent defence and civil nuclear cooperation. The visit comes amid strained bilateral ties over U.S. tariffs, immigration policies, and Russian oil purchases. Rubio also laid a wreath honouring victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, and is scheduled to visit Reliance Industries' Jamnagar refinery on Wednesday.