Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2026, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar dismissed Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s criticism regarding his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Mumbai. Addressing Gandhi’s claim that traveling outside New Delhi to meet a foreign official amounted to being “summoned,” Jaishankar cited historical precedents set by past Congress leadership and defended holding high-level diplomatic talks in India’s financial capital.
Key Highlights & Jaishankar’s Remarks
1. Rebuffing the “Summoned” Allegation
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Defense of Mumbai: Jaishankar questioned the opposition’s reservations about holding official meetings outside New Delhi.
“Maybe Mumbai doesn’t like them. I have no idea. Why they have this reservation… It’s our financial capital. It’s our Bollywood capital. It has got so much going for it.”
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Historical Precedents Offered: To counter Gandhi’s assertion, Jaishankar cited notable diplomatic meetings hosted by Congress governments outside the national capital:
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Indira Gandhi (1972): Traveled to Shimla to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to sign the historic Shimla Agreement.
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Salman Khurshid (2013): Traveled to Jaipur during the UPA administration to host a lunch for Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.
“If going out of Delhi to meet a foreign leader or a foreign counterpart is summoning, I can give you a lot of examples… We are adults, let’s have an adult conversation.”
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Details of Marco Rubio’s Visit & Trade Talks
According to a statement released by the US Mission in India:
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Scope of Visit: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Mumbai and Jamnagar from October 20–22 to advance the US-India strategic partnership, strengthen commercial ties, and reaffirm commitments to a secure Indo-Pacific.
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Freedom 250 Event: Rubio attended a Freedom 250 reception as guest of honor, commemorating the 250th anniversary of US independence.
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Bilateral Trade Deal Updates:
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Jaishankar confirmed that bilateral negotiations on the proposed US-India trade deal are in their “last mile”, though challenges remain as negotiators work through final details.
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Negotiations have been underway since early 2025 to reduce tariff friction, eliminate non-tariff barriers, and expand market access.
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Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal previously confirmed that the first tranche of the bilateral agreement has been finalized and is currently undergoing legal drafting.
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Context: The discussion took place during the NDTV World Summit 2026, highlighting both foreign policy achievements and political debates surrounding domestic political discourse.
