NEW DELHI: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday began his first official visit to India, aiming to strengthen ties with a key strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific region, shortly after high-level engagement between Washington and Beijing.
Rubio’s four-day, four-city tour started in Kolkata, where he is scheduled to visit the headquarters of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. He is expected to proceed to New Delhi later in the day for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to the US State Department, Rubio will meet Modi on Saturday evening to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional strategic issues.
Before concluding his visit on Tuesday, Rubio will also attend a meeting of foreign ministers of the Quad grouping—comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the United States—a platform widely viewed as a counterbalance to China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
The visit comes at a time of evolving global diplomatic alignments, following a recent US-China summit that signaled warming ties between Washington and Beijing.
Rubio, who has previously supported stronger US-India relations, described India as a “great ally and great partner” and indicated that Washington is exploring ways to increase energy exports, including oil supplies, to support India’s growing economy.
Energy security is expected to be a key focus area, as India continues to rely heavily on imports to meet rising domestic demand.
The visit also includes a personal stop in Agra, where Rubio and his wife are expected to visit the Taj Mahal before departing.
Analysts say the trip reflects Washington’s effort to balance its engagement between major global powers while maintaining strong strategic cooperation with India, particularly in trade, security, and energy sectors.
Comment