Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a bilateral meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday. During the talks, the two top diplomats reaffirmed their commitment to further advancing the India-US strategic partnership, discussing critical areas such as energy security, defense cooperation, trade, and emerging technologies.
In a post on the social media platform X, Marco Rubio stated that the meeting placed special emphasis on strengthening bilateral ties, enhancing energy security, and deepening defense cooperation. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor also hailed the meeting as highly positive, noting that discussions centered on expanding mutual cooperation in defense, energy, commerce, and advanced technologies. The high-level meeting, held on October 20, 2026, was also attended by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri alongside Ambassador Gor.
Meanwhile, recent trade statistics indicate that India's crude oil imports from Russia declined by approximately 13 percent in September 2026, marking a downward trend for the second consecutive month. Despite this reduction, Moscow maintains its position as India's largest fossil fuel supplier, with September imports valued at approximately 4.1 billion euros. Globally, China remains the largest buyer of Russian energy, with India holding the second position.
Earlier in July, India set a record by sourcing roughly 50.8 percent of its total oil imports from Russia, a volume that has gradually adjusted in subsequent months as New Delhi continues to diversify its energy basket.
