U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a two-day visit to India on Tuesday as Washington and New Delhi worked on a trade deal, while President Donald Trump’s pause on threatened penalties over India’s purchases of Russian oil reduced one source of tension.
Rubio was due to meet Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Mumbai. The talks were expected to cover relations between the two countries and energy cooperation. Rubio was also scheduled to visit Jamnagar, home to a major oil-refining complex.
He was scheduled to meet business leaders. Before leaving for India, Rubio said the countries were close to completing a trade agreement. He said the negotiations were among the factors considered in Trump’s decision to pause measures aimed at buyers of Russian oil.
The pause holds off possible tariffs allowed under a law aimed at major buyers of Russian oil. The pause does not permanently remove the threat. The administration said it would review the issue over 60 days.
India is a major buyer of Russian crude oil. This makes the measures a concern for New Delhi’s energy supplies and its trade relationship with Washington. Officials have raised the possibility that the trade deal could be completed during Rubio’s visit.
No signing had been confirmed.