Rubio Skips Modi Meeting in New Delhi, Heads to Mumbai and Reliance’s Jamnagar Refinery

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s second visit to India this year raised eyebrows as he bypassed New Delhi and did not meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Instead, Rubio traveled to Mumbai, where he met with External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and top business leaders, before heading to Jamnagar, Gujarat—home to Reliance Industries’ massive oil refinery complex. The itinerary signals a clear shift in American priorities toward economic and energy ties over traditional diplomatic protocol. While some viewed the move as a snub, it underscores Washington’s focus on trade, investment, and energy security in the bilateral relationship. Rubio’s engagement with corporate leaders and the oil sector highlights the strategic importance of India’s market and Reliance’s role in global energy. As US-India relations evolve under shifting geopolitical pressures, this trip suggests that business and energy cooperation may increasingly drive the agenda, even if it means leaving out high-level political meetings in the capital.