October 24, 2026: The western Indian port town of Jamnagar is not a usual stop for foreign leaders, yet it featured prominently in US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's recent visit.

So, why did Rubio visit the town? And, more importantly, why did he skip the Indian capital, Delhi?

The answer to both questions may have less to do with India and more to do with Donald Trump administration's domestic compulsions – or, more precisely, its domestic oil needs.

Rubio arrived in the financial capital Mumbai on Tuesday, where he met Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and some of the country's top business leaders. He officially ended his trip in Jamnagar - in the western state of Gujarat - home to the giant oil refinery owned by one of Asia's richest men, Mukesh Ambani.

It was his second trip to the country this year and experts say what is significant this time is the timing of the visit as well as his choice of destinations.

The Trump administration is under pressure to keep fuel prices in check ahead of November's US midterm elections, while rising tensions in the Middle East threaten global energy supplies.

With little new refining capacity expected in the immediate future in the US, India's ability to process large volumes of crude oil offers Washington a potential way to ease pressure on the fuel markets.

And that puts Reliance's Jamnagar refinery at the centre of the equation.

The visit, however, comes at a tricky moment in India-US relations. Trump has imposed tariffs on Indian goods, there are sanctions against Delhi for buying Russian energy (though currently paused) and there is a trade deal between the two countries that has remained elusive for around 20 months now.

(Source: BBC)