Jaishankar and Rubio to hold talks in Mumbai as India-US trade deal takes centre stage

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to hold talks with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Mumbai, with the two sides expected to focus on advancing a bilateral trade deal and reviewing the broader Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

The Ministry of External Affairs said the meeting would give both sides an opportunity to assess the current state of India-US relations and explore ways to further deepen ties. Trade is expected to dominate the agenda against a backdrop of ongoing negotiations between the world's largest democracy and its biggest economy.

Rubio's decision to meet in Mumbai rather than New Delhi has drawn criticism from some opposition leaders in India, who have characterised the arrangement as discourteous. The choice of venue has proved contentious, though officials on both sides have given no public explanation for departing from the diplomatic convention of hosting such talks in the capital.