Congress slams MEA over lack of clarity on Rubio-Jaishankar talks

The Indian National Congress on Wednesday questioned the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) over its apparent lack of communication regarding discussions between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar. The party's criticism emerged after U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor made remarks during an interactive session at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum that referenced the proposed bilateral engagement.

Congress representatives argued that the government should have been more transparent about the nature and timing of high-level diplomatic meetings, particularly those involving key officials from India's closest strategic partners. The party contended that such communications are typically announced through official channels well in advance of scheduled talks.

The MEA has not issued an official statement addressing the specifics of any planned meeting between Rubio and Jaishankar. Ambassador Gor's comments at the Bloomberg forum, however, suggested that discussions between the two foreign policy chiefs were under consideration as part of broader bilateral engagement between New Delhi and Washington.

The exchange underscores the heightened scrutiny of U.S.-India diplomatic relations during this period, with the Opposition seeking greater accountability from the government regarding its international engagements and communications with strategic partners.