20 October,2026 08:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan hold discussions in Mumbai on Tuesday. PIC/X
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan met in Mumbai on Tuesday for trilateral discussions on regional energy security and shared economic priorities.
Rubio arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon, while Al Nahyan began his two-day visit to India on Monday evening.
Following the meeting, Rubio highlighted the discussions on regional energy security and economic cooperation in a post on social media.
"It was great to meet with Indian External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar and UAE Foreign Minister @ABZayed to discuss regional energy security and advance our shared economic priorities," the US Secretary of State said.
It is learnt that the three foreign ministers also held extensive discussions on the overall security situation in West Asia and the economic fallout of the continuing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, news agency PTI reported.
Global oil supplies have faced severe disruptions following Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, considered one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints. The waterway carries roughly 20 per cent of global petroleum flows.
Tensions in West Asia have escalated, particularly after the Houthis carried out several strikes on Saudi Arabia.
India has expressed serious concern over Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia's civilian infrastructure and economic assets, cautioning that such strikes undermine regional stability and threaten freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
The Iran-backed Houthi militant group has attacked Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, which plays a crucial role in transporting crude oil.
Since the conflict involving Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the East-West pipeline has served as a critical alternative route for Saudi Arabia's oil exports.
The Houthi attacks have also raised concerns about the safety of shipping through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
Located between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, the Bab-el-Mandeb is one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
(With PTI inputs)
