WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Marco Rubio departed on a diplomatic swing through Central Asia and India over the weekend, leading an expansive business delegation to bolster commercial and security partnerships across the region.
The journey, marking Rubio’s 31st overseas trip as the nation’s chief diplomat, includes a stop in the historic Silk Road city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, followed by stops in the Indian cities of Mumbai and Jamnagar. Ahead of the departure, Rubio told reporters on Saturday that Washington needs to prioritize foundational relationships that are often sidelined by sudden international emergencies, according to The Associated Press.
Business Diplomacy in Samarkand
In Uzbekistan, Rubio is scheduled to meet with foreign ministers from five Central Asian nations during the C5+1 summit. A senior State Department official told reporters that more than 200 American companies joined the mission, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported. Participating corporations include major industrial and financial firms such as Boeing, Citibank and Franklin Templeton, alongside enterprises seeking access to critical mineral reserves.
Washington has sought to cultivate closer ties with Central Asian governments as they seek diverse international partners while managing delicate relations with Russia and China. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan alone poured over $30 billion in fresh investments into the U.S. over the prior year, according to the State Department. U.S. officials also revealed that Kazakhstan is pursuing entry into the Abraham Accords normalization framework and that both nations received invitations to attend the Group of 20 summit as observers.
Regional specialists told Al Jazeera that the Trump administration’s agenda in Central Asia centers strictly on trade, minerals and counterterrorism, stepping away from past U.S. policies that tied diplomatic warmth to human rights and democratic governance.
Debate Over Diplomatic Priorities
The itinerary has nonetheless drawn scrutiny from foreign policy veterans who argue that Rubio is staying away from the administration’s most volatile dilemmas, including the war in Ukraine and ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder criticized the schedule, telling AP that Rubio has largely bypassed the key negotiations defining the post.
High-profile regional portfolios have largely been handled by presidential envoys like Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The State Department rejected suggestions that Rubio is keeping risky diplomatic issues at arm’s length, stating in an email to AP that his responsibility is to execute a broad strategy rather than maintain a constant public presence in every crisis.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau defended the administration’s direction, saying establishment diplomats have long overvalued European summits while ignoring strategic opportunities in other hemispheres.
Refinery Stop in India
Rubio will also travel to India, where his schedule includes a tour of Reliance Industries’ massive oil refining complex in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The facility, controlled by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, represents the largest single-site refinery in the world, processing roughly 1.4 million barrels of crude oil per day.
Sergio Gor, the U.S. ambassador to India, indicated that Rubio plans to inspect the site following Reliance’s major investment into a U.S. refinery venture, CNBC reported. Market analysts noted that the outreach comes as the Trump administration explores options to address high domestic diesel prices ahead of upcoming midterm elections.
The regional talks in Uzbekistan are expected to conclude early in the week before Rubio proceeds to India, where discussions will center on energy security and trade expansion.
