New Delhi: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Friday (October 16) trained guns on the Modi government, calling Union external affairs minister S. Jaishankar an “employee” of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The acerbic remark comes after US ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, announced a meeting between Rubio and Jaishankar at a Bloomberg event in Mumbai. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh was quick to point out the unusual announcement about a Union minister’s meeting coming from foreign officials rather than the ministry’s spokesperson.“Since when has the announcement of India’s Minister of External Affairs’s meetings within India been outsourced to somebody other than the official spokesperson of the MEA?” Ramesh asked.Ramesh said that while it was not surprising for Gor to talk about Rubio’s visit to India, it is “extraordinary” that the announcement of the minister’s meeting was outsourced. Ramesh linked this to US President Donald Trump’s announcement about the end of Operation Sindoor before India. “India gets to know from the US Ambassador just as it first got to know from Mr. Rubio himself on the evening of May 10, 2025 that Operation Sindoor had been halted. Why is the MEA silent on the External Affairs Minister’s tryst with Mr. Rubio in Mumbai?” Ramesh asked.MEA announces meetingThe Union ministry of external affairs in a press briefing on Friday confirmed the meeting planned between Jaishankar and Rubio. The ministry said that the external affairs minister will host the deputy prime minister and foreign minister of UAE, H. H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Mumbai on October 19, followed by a meeting with Rubio on October 20. Jaishankar will attend the 250th Anniversary of the Independence of US celebrations as the guest of honour, the ministry said.The external affairs minister was in UAE until yesterday, where he had met Nahyan, who had announced his visit to Mumbai five days later.“The visit of UAE DPM and FM HH Sheikh Abdullah will be an opportunity to review all facets of bilateral cooperation under the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The two delegations will assess and take forward initiatives in the areas of energy, trade and investments, fintech, defence and connectivity. They will naturally be a detailed exchange of views on the situation in West Asia as also on global and multilateral issues,” the ministry said.On the Rubio meeting, the ministry said that the talks will provide an opportunity for both sides to review India-US relations and discuss ways to further strengthen Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.“Discussions are expected to cover key areas of bilateral cooperation, including energy, trade and investment, defence, critical and emerging technologies, and other areas of mutual interest. The two sides will also exchange views on regional and global developments. The visit will provide an opportunity to sustain the high-level engagement between the two countries and advance our shared priorities,” the ministry said.Gandhi’s tongue-in-cheek responseBreaking away from the usual banal statements exchanged between politicians from opposing camps, an unusual banter has been afoot in Delhi for the past week – starting from Gandhi’s response to tech billionaire Elon Musk’s dig at Reliance and its owner Mukesh Ambani.On October 8, Musk in a post on X said, “Starlink is licensed in over 165 countries and has spent five years complying with every single law and requirement of the government of India, so why still no license? Is Ambani the real boss of India?”Gandhi wrote back saying “Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy,” referring to another industrialist deemed close to the prime minister, Gautam Adani.After Gor’s announcement of a Rubio-Jaishankar meeting, Gandhi said, “Mr Rubio has summoned his employee to Mumbai. Modi ji, your officials in the External Affairs Ministry are confused about what’s going on. You might want to explain. Unless, of course, you want me to.”Reliance’s clarificationMeanwhile, responding to the statements floating around Reliance’s alleged involvement in the delays behind Starlink’s license, Reliance industries issued a statement on Friday. Claiming that it does not “fear competition” the company said that its own satellite services are also awaiting clearance.“Like every Indian enterprise, Reliance has grown in an India that welcomes investment and innovation, homegrown or international, that improve the lives of the people. That openness rests on the rule of law. As the Government of India has stated, it applies the same process to every applicant, Indian or foreign. Jio’s own satellite services await clearances,” the statement said.The Reliance statement also referred to an earlier clarification issued by the Union government after Musk first alleged unfair treatment.Referring to Jio’s controversial entry into the telecom market in 2016, Reliance said, “At Reliance, we have never feared competition. We see it as the truest test of who serves the customer best. Jio itself entered India’s crowded telecom market in 2016 as the newest player, with not a single customer. In just ten years, Jio has earned the trust of over 530 million customers and given Indians some of the best digital infrastructure and most affordable data in the world. We welcome competition in satellite communications, including Starlink. Every player, Jio included, must serve the people of India and abide by the laws and policies of the land.”It may be noted that Jio’s entry in the sector was aided by the Modi government, with Prime Minister Narendra going as far as openly endorsing the corporate venture. Starlink delaysThe Wire had previously reported that the Union government had directed state governments that have entered into agreements with Musk-owned Starlink to stop discussions and projects involving the satellite internet company until it secures the required licence to operate in India.