Rubio heads to Uzbekistan and India with rare earths and trade on the agenda

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is traveling to Uzbekistan and India this week on a trip focused on minerals, energy and commerce, according to Reuters and the Deccan Herald.

The State Department set the trip for Oct. 17 to 22, the Deccan Herald reported, citing the department. Reuters reported that Rubio was set to land in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sunday, with the trip due to end Thursday.

The itinerary

• Samarkand: Rubio is to attend a C5+1 ministerial, the grouping of the U.S. with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Reuters said the State Department expects more than 200 business executives to join, with rare earth minerals a focus.
• Mumbai and Jamnagar: Rubio is to meet Indian officials and business leaders, including Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, Reuters reported. Jamnagar hosts Reliance's large refinery, the Deccan Herald noted.

A U.S. official told Reuters a trade deal with India was close to finished and could be announced during the visit. The State Department said the trip aims to strengthen the U.S.-India partnership and explore energy cooperation, per the Deccan Herald.

Questions about priorities

Reuters reported that Rubio has not visited Kyiv or Moscow as secretary and was absent from U.S.-Ukraine talks in Florida this month, as envoys such as Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner handle sensitive files.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau pushed back on criticism that only certain capitals merit a secretary's visit, Reuters reported, casting it as a flaw of the broader foreign policy establishment.

Reuters also noted India remains the world's second-largest buyer of Russian crude, after China.