US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Arrives In Uzbekistan For C5+1 Talks, To Visit India For Trade & Energy Cooperation Amid Trump's Russian Oil Sanctions Review | Video

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sunday, heralding a historic day as he prepared to engage in high-level regional talks centered around trade, investment and strategic cooperation. Ambassador Sergio Gor of India praised the occasion, anticipating the upcoming C5+1 Ministerial meeting and the U.S.-Uzbekistan Business Council, which would deepen commercial ties and unlock new opportunities across Central Asia.

Rubio, leading a delegation of more than 200 business executives, is set to meet with the foreign ministers of five Central Asian nations under the C5+1 framework from October 17–22. Discussions are anticipated to revolve around trade, investment, critical minerals, regional security, and energy cooperation. The visit aims to establish a new era of economic partnership between the United States and Central Asia, with Rubio's subsequent trip to India scheduled for the following week.

During his stay in India, Rubio will interact with senior government officials and business leaders in Mumbai and Jamnagar to fortify the US-India strategic alliance, explore avenues for enhanced energy cooperation, and promote commercial investment. The trip follows the recent waiver of certain sanctions on Russian oil and gas imports by President Donald Trump, which will be examined over a 60-day period to evaluate the global economic implications.