US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Prime Minister Modi on Saturday in Delhi with an invitation to visit the White House. No dates were mentioned but US Ambassador Sergio Gor described the talks as “productive.”
Modi posted on X that he was “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.”
Talks covered security, trade, critical technologies while advancing the cause of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific.”
A statement from Modi’s office said “Secretary Rubio shared US perspective on various regional and global issues, including the situation in West Asia. Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s consistent support for peace efforts and reiterated the call for peaceful resolution of the conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.”
Later while inaugurating a new building in the US Embassy complex, Rubio recalled the “personal relationship (between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump) which dates back to the first administration when the President had a chance to visit here and it has carried over into the second administration.
“You can just see the connection between them,” Rubio said.“The connection between leaders is incredibly important. These are two very serious leaders who are focused not just on the short term but on the long term.”
With the Quad meeting in Delhi due next week, Rubio “My very first meeting officially as Secretary of State was a meeting of the Quad. We wanted to do it here, not just because of our commitment to that structure of work, but also as a tangible sign of what an important role India plays in the United States and in our posture and in our approach to the Indo-Pacific.”
He also made the point that “we want to sell them (India) as much energy as they will buy.”
