New Delhi, Oct 16 (NVI) Amid questions raised by Congress over the venue, the government today defended the planned meeting of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Mumbai.
Jaishankar and Rubio are scheduled to meet in Mumbai on October 20 and attend an event marking the 250th anniversary of US independence.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has questioned Mumbai as the venue for the meeting.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal said hosting foreign dignitaries in different Indian cities has been an established practice over the past decade.
He cited the previous engagements outside New Delhi, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with his Spanish Prime Minister in Vadodara, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ahmedabad and with 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.
“..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,” Jaiswal 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.
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. (NVI)
