Rubio in Mumbai: India trade deal "weeks, not months" away; accuses Iran of "Nazi U-boat tactics" in Hormuz

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a trade agreement between the United States and India was “incredibly close”, in an interview with Rahul Joshi of India’s Network18 recorded at the US consulate in Mumbai on Tuesday 20 October, according to a transcript published by the State Department.

Rubio said the talks, led by the US Trade Representative, were “down to some technical details” and that a deal was expected “in a matter of weeks, not months”.

Asked about US sanctions on countries buying Russian oil while the US buys Russian diesel, Rubio said sanctions “come at a consequence” for other countries. He said President Donald Trump had used a national security waiver so as not to immediately apply tariffs and sanctions in a bill passed by Congress, because “you have to balance your interest”.

On Pakistan, Rubio said the US was “against anybody who sponsors terrorism” but that Pakistan was “a country that we have to have a relationship with”, noting it possesses nuclear weapons.

On Iran, he said it was “very difficult to make a deal” with its leadership. He accused Iran of deliberately targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it “Nazi U-boat tactics”, and said the US would keep “extraordinary economic pressure” on Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday the strait would stay closed until the US accepts Tehran’s conditions and that indirect talks continue through Pakistan and Qatar, Al Jazeera and Gulf News reported.

Rubio said a Quad leaders’ summit with India, Japan and Australia would be held in Manila during the ASEAN summit, with no date set yet. PTI reported the ASEAN summit is scheduled for 16–17 November. Rubio said he would visit Reliance’s refinery in Jamnagar on Wednesday.

See also: Rubio’s Central Asia and India trip and Iran’s position in talks with Pakistan’s army chief.