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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday, aiming to revitalise diplomatic relations with India.
The high-level, closed-door meeting lasted over an hour and came just one week after Rubio accompanied President Donald Trump to a warm summit in Beijing.
This trip marks Rubio’s first official visit to both Asian powers, signalling a strategic effort by Washington to balance its regional partnerships following Trump’s recent praise of Chinese President Xi Jinping and discussions of a US-China “G2” dynamic.
Rubio began his four-day, four-city tour of India with a highly symbolic visit to the Missionaries of Charity headquarters in Kolkata, where he and his wife, Jeanette, prayed over Mother Teresa’s tomb.
As a devout Catholic, Rubio’s decision to highlight humanitarian work and religious heritage served as a subtle nod to concerns from some of Trump’s political base regarding the treatment of minority Christians under Modi’s Hindu nationalist government.
US Ambassador Sergio Gor noted that the visit emphasised that the US-India relationship is rooted in shared values alongside geopolitical policies.
Energy security and regional stability are expected to dominate the remainder of the trip.
Ahead of his arrival, Rubio referred to India as a “great ally” and expressed Washington’s desire to increase oil sales to the country.
India’s rapidly growing economy has been severely impacted by surging global energy prices following recent military conflicts in the Middle East that disrupted the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Additionally, India must navigate a shifting regional landscape as Washington has recently warmed ties with Pakistan, which has positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East conflict.
Before concluding his visit on Tuesday, the US Secretary of State will participate in a ministerial meeting of the Quad alliance alongside representatives from Australia, Japan, and India.
The four democracies serve as a critical strategic counterweight to China’s expanding maritime footprint in the Indian Ocean.
While Beijing remains deeply suspicious of the alliance, Rubio’s presence reinforces the enduring geopolitical alignment between Washington and New Delhi despite recent trade friction and changing diplomatic dynamics under the current US administration.
