Rubio Visits India as Trade Deal Prospects Remain Uncertain

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday for talks with Indian officials and business leaders, with trade and strategic ties on the agenda. The visit comes as the two governments continue negotiations on a trade agreement, but accounts differ on whether a deal could be concluded during Rubio’s trip. No agreement had been announced as of Tuesday. Rubio was scheduled to meet Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Mumbai on October 20. The discussions were expected to address the countries’ strategic partnership and economic engagement. Rubio is also scheduled to visit Jamnagar in western India and meet government and business representatives during his two-day visit. Before arriving in Mumbai, Rubio said in Samarkand that the United States and India were “very close” to an agreement, according to remarks reported during the trip. Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said this month that negotiations had reached a plateau where further concessions would be difficult. Those statements point to differing assessments of the talks’ progress, and neither establishes that a deal is ready to be signed. One account of the visit described the...