# US Boosts Central Asia Trade Ties

> US Secretary of State Marco Rubio leads 200 business leaders to Uzbekistan for C5+1 meeting on Oct 19.
- Title: US Boosts Central Asia Trade Ties · The Straits Times
- Summary: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio leads 200 business leaders to Uzbekistan for C5+1 meeting on Oct 19. US aims to strengthen trade ties with Central Asia to…
- Keywords: marco rubio, central asia, us trade, c5+1 meeting, uzbekistan, india trade deal, rare earths, energy ties, news, world, Boosts, Central
- Source: The Straits Times — https://straitstimes.com/world/us-goes-on-the-offensive-in-central-asia
- Published: 2026-10-18T06:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: marco rubio, central asia, us trade, c5+1 meeting, uzbekistan, india trade deal, rare earths, energy ties, news, world
## US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio leads a massive delegation of 200 business leaders to Uzbekistan.

> this is an important relationship
## C5+1 Meeting in Uzbekistan
Rubio participates in ministerial meeting of five Central Asian countries on Oct 19.
## Central Asia Trade Dynamics
Central Asia is resource-rich but China is its main trade partner.
## US Energy Strategy
US focuses on rare earths and energy links to counter China and Russia.
## India Trade Deal Progress
US and India negotiate trade deal after tariff disputes and Russian oil tensions.
## Rubio's India Visit
Rubio visits Mumbai and Jamnagar for commercial diplomacy with Indian business leaders.
## Key takeaway

US aims to strengthen trade ties with Central Asia to counter China and Russia amid tariff disputes with India.