Prime Minister Narendra Modi held extensive discussions with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New Delhi on Saturday, covering a broad spectrum of bilateral cooperation.
The talks spanned defence, trade, energy, strategic technologies, connectivity, education and people-to-people ties. Secretary Rubio provided Washington’s perspective on the situation in West Asia, while Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s consistent support for peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.
The Prime Minister’s Office noted that the meeting underscored the sustained progress in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Secretary Rubio shared the American viewpoint on regional and global issues, with particular emphasis on West Asia. Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s call for peace efforts and highlighted the importance of diplomacy in resolving conflicts.
He also requested Secretary Rubio to convey his warm greetings to President Donald Trump, expressing anticipation for continued exchanges between the two leaders.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi emphasised that India and the United States would continue to work closely for the global good. He wrote, “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 US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, described the meeting as “productive,” noting that discussions focused on deepening cooperation in security, trade and critical technologies to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, US Ambassador Sergio Gor and US Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker. The US Ambassador later posted that India remains a vital partner to the United States, highlighting the importance of strengthening cooperation across strategic sectors.
Secretary Rubio arrived in New Delhi on Saturday, accompanied by his wife Jeanette D Rubio, US Ambassador Sergio Gor and US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Robert Gabriel. His arrival followed a visit to Kolkata earlier in the day, where he paid tribute to Mother Teresa at the Missionaries of Charity.
In a post on X, Rubio honoured her legacy of compassion and service, describing it as a living example of the Catholic faith in action. His stop in Kolkata marked the first visit by a top American diplomat to the city in 14 years, signalling the significance of his itinerary.
Rubio’s four-day visit to India, from 23 to 26 May, includes stops in Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi. The engagements are expected to focus on trade, advanced technologies, energy security and defence cooperation.
The visit comes at a time of growing strategic convergence between India and the United States and precedes the upcoming QUAD foreign ministers’ meeting scheduled in New Delhi on 26 May.
According to the US Ambassador, the forthcoming engagements will concentrate on strengthening defence partnerships, advancing technology collaboration, expanding trade ties and reinforcing cooperation under the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue framework.
The US Secretary of State is also scheduled to deliver remarks at the dedication ceremony of the US Embassy Support Annex Building in New Delhi. His itinerary reflects both symbolic and substantive elements, combining tributes to historical figures with high-level diplomatic engagements.
The visit underscores the deepening institutional cooperation between the two democracies and highlights their shared commitment to addressing regional and global challenges.
ANI
