US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday, signalling efforts by both countries to strengthen ties after months of tensions in bilateral relations.
During the meeting, Modi and Rubio discussed key areas of cooperation, including defence, trade, strategic technologies, energy security, connectivity, education, and people-to-people relations, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Rubio also invited Modi to visit the White House “in the near future” on behalf of US President Donald Trump, US Ambassador Sergio Gor said.
After the meeting, Modi posted on X, saying, “Happy to receive the US Secretary of State, Mr Marco Rubio. We discussed sustained progress in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and issues related to regional and global peace and security.”
“India and the United States will continue to work closely for the global good,” the Prime Minister added.
India, US Agree to Deepen Defence and Trade Cooperation
According to the US State Department, Rubio and Modi agreed to strengthen cooperation in trade and defence while speeding up collaboration in critical and emerging technologies.
US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the two leaders reviewed recent progress in bilateral relations, including investments linked to the “Mission 500” initiative, which aims to double trade between India and the United States by 2030.
“The Secretary and Prime Minister agreed to deepen trade and defense cooperation and accelerate collaboration on critical and emerging technologies,” Pigott said.
Rubio also praised India for hosting the upcoming Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting and expressed support for a “free and open Indo-Pacific” alongside Australia, India and Japan.
West Asia Crisis, Iran and Energy Security Discussed
The worsening situation in West Asia was also a key part of the discussions.
According to the US State Department, Rubio shared Washington’s position on the crisis and stressed that the US would not allow Iran to disrupt global energy markets.
“The Secretary emphasized that the United States will not let Iran hold the global energy market hostage and affirmed that US energy products have the potential to diversify India’s energy supply,” Pigott said.
The PMO said Modi reiterated India’s support for peace and diplomacy in resolving global conflicts.
“The Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s consistent support for peace efforts and reiterated the call for peaceful resolution of the conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy,” the PMO said.
Visit Seen as Attempt to Repair Bilateral Relations
Rubio’s India visit comes at a sensitive time, with India-US relations facing strain over the past year. Tensions increased after issues related to visa restrictions, deportations, and President Trump’s perceived closeness to Pakistan.
The relationship also saw disagreements after Trump repeatedly claimed he played a role in reducing tensions between India and Pakistan following military clashes last year. India maintained that the ceasefire was achieved through direct talks between the two countries without US involvement.
Despite these differences, both nations have recently made efforts to rebuild trust and strengthen cooperation.
Speaking at an event at the US Embassy in Delhi, Rubio described India as an “incredibly important partner” for the United States.
“It is this relationship between our two countries which is at the cornerstone of our approach to the Indo-Pacific,” Rubio said.
He also highlighted growing economic and defence ties, saying Indian companies invested over USD 20 billion in the US in the last year and that military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific had increased.
Rubio Visits Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata
Before arriving in Delhi, Rubio visited Kolkata, where he paid tribute at the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa.
After the visit, Rubio wrote on X, “Mother Teresa left a tremendous legacy of compassion and service. I was honored to visit the Missionaries of Charity today to pay homage to her legacy.”
Rubio is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday and will also attend the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting on May 26.
