Mumbai, October 20 (sources: ANI; Associated Press; IANS/Nation Press) — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Mumbai at 2:15 PM IST on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to begin a three-day visit to India — his second visit this year.

Rubio visited the Gateway of India with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, and laid a wreath at the 26/11 Taj Memorial at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, which honours the victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

He then met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, where the two discussed energy security, defence cooperation and the India–US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, in addition to the proposed trade agreement.

On the proposed bilateral trade deal, Rubio said the two sides were 'as close as you can be without having executed the agreement', with only 'a small number of items' left to resolve. 'So, we're very optimistic that we will have something in place here very soon,' he told the press, via ANI. Awaaz Punjab underlines that the deal has NOT been signed yet — no terms and no deadline were announced. Rubio also clarified that the US State Department does not directly negotiate trade agreements, though it remains closely involved in the process.

Rubio's later engagements included the Freedom 250 reception at the Jio World Convention Centre, with Jaishankar as guest of honour, and he is scheduled to travel onward to Jamnagar on Wednesday. Sources: ANI; Associated Press; IANS/Nation Press.