There is a difference between doing business and conducting diplomacy.
Recent developments over the last few days suggest the following:
Shortly after Elon Musk triggered a "Digital War" game, news broke that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting Jamnagar.
Instead of heading to New Delhi, Rubio is traveling directly to Jamnagar, the very city synonymous with the Ambani family, which houses Relianceโs largest oil refinery and right as news of Marco Rubioโs arrival surfaced, Reliance officially welcomed Elon Muskโs Starlink to India. Is this merely a coincidence??
A sitting US Secretary of State visiting a private refinery in Jamnagar instead of holding talks with the Indian government in Delhi raises some serious questions. Energy policy is a matter of national interest, and such discussions should happen through the Indian government, not directly with a private company.
Recently, the Jio IPO launch has created much hype. Mukesh Ambani's Reliance may have its own commercial interests, but no private company, however powerful, should become the main channel through which a foreign government pursues its energy goals in India.