US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Samarkand, Uzbekistan, as well as Mumbai and Jamnagar, India, between October 17 and 22. The trip plan was announced by the US State Department.
In Samarkand, Rubio will participate in a meeting of foreign ministers in the C5+1 format. It brings together the United States and the five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
According to the State Department, the US Secretary of State will also hold bilateral talks with senior representatives of the five countries. The statement said the aim is to highlight the role of strategic cooperation for a “more peaceful and prosperous future” for the United States and Central Asian countries.
Rubio will be accompanied by a US trade delegation, which will include more than 200 business leaders. The talks will focus on expanding trade ties and investment cooperation in the region.
Energy is among the highlights in India
After Uzbekistan, Rubio will travel to India, where he will visit Mumbai and Jamnagar. He will talk with senior representatives of the Indian government about the strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi, as well as regional and global issues.
“He will meet with senior government officials to strengthen the strategic partnership between the United States and India, exchange views on regional and global dynamics, and discuss prospects for expanded energy cooperation“, the State Department said.
The program also includes meetings with business representatives. Opportunities for trade investment and economic cooperation between the two countries are expected to be discussed.
The visit will be Rubio's second to India in 2026. In May, he participated in a meeting of foreign ministers of the Indo-Pacific Security Quartet, hosted by Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Sources: apnews.com, investing.com