NEW DELHI: External Affairs Ministry has defended External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s proposed meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Mumbai amid criticism from the Congress over the choice of venue.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said hosting foreign dignitaries in different Indian cities has been an established practice over the past decade.
Citing previous engagements outside New Delhi, he referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with the Spanish prime minister in Vadodara, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ahmedabad and the prime minister of Mauritius in Varanasi. He also cited the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation foreign ministers’ meeting in Goa and other diplomatic engagements held in different parts of the country.
Rubio is scheduled to meet Jaishankar in Mumbai on October 20 and attend an event marking the 250th anniversary of US independence as the guest of honour, Jaiswal said. Jaishankar will also host the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of UAE, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“..On 20th October, External Affairs Minister will hold talks with the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and attend the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States of America as the guest of honor,” he said.
“The meeting is expected to provide an opportunity for both sides to review India-US relations and discuss ways to strengthen their Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. The agenda is expected to include energy, trade and investment, defence, critical and emerging technologies, and regional and global developments,” he said.The clarification follows criticism from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who on Friday questioned the government over Rubio’s proposed meeting with Indian officials in Mumbai.
Gandhi claimed that officials in the External Affairs Ministry were confused about the visit and suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should explain the matter.
On Thursday, Congress general secretary for communications Jairam Ramesh had also questioned the government over the proposed meeting, pointing to remarks by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor about Rubio’s Mumbai engagements.
Gor had said he expected Jaishankar to join Rubio alongside other individuals. “What is quite extraordinary is his statement that ‘we expect the Minister Dr Jaishankar to be joining us there along with other individuals’,” Ramesh said in a post on X, questioning the circumstances surrounding the planned engagement.