External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will hold meetings with senior officials from the UAE and the United States in Mumbai next week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday.
Jaishankar will host UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on October 19 and 20. He is also scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on October 20 and attend an event marking the 250th anniversary of American independence as the guest of honour.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the discussions with Rubio will cover energy, trade, investment, defence, critical and emerging technologies, along with regional and international developments.
The UAE minister’s visit will focus on reviewing bilateral ties and advancing cooperation in energy, trade, fintech, defence and connectivity. Both sides will also discuss developments in West Asia and global affairs.
The announcement came after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned the government over Rubio’s planned meeting in Mumbai, claiming that officials in the External Affairs Ministry were confused about the visit.
Responding to questions about hosting foreign dignitaries outside the national capital, Jaiswal said India has followed this practice for the past decade, with meetings held in several cities across the country.
