Rubio Meets Modi in New Delhi, Eyes Deeper US-India Ties
Rubio, making his first-ever trip to India, touched down early Saturday and headed straight for talks with the Indian premier at the national capital.
"We discussed sustained progress in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and issues related to regional and global peace and security," Modi said in a post on X, adding that the two nations would continue to work "closely for the global good."
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who attended the meeting, described it as a forward-looking exchange. "A productive discussion on ways to deepen U.S.-India cooperation across security, trade, and critical technologies - areas that strengthen both our nations and advance a free and open Indo-Pacific," Gor said.
He added: "India is a vital partner to the United States!"
Gor also revealed that Rubio extended a formal invitation, on behalf of President Donald Trump, for Modi to visit the White House in the "near future" — a signal of the warming momentum between the two governments.
Middle East, Defense, and Strategic Technologies on the Table
A formal statement from Modi's office confirmed that Rubio briefed the prime minister on bilateral progress across defense and strategic technologies, while also sharing Washington's perspective on pressing regional and global flashpoints, including the evolving situation in the Middle East.
Mother Teresa's Legacy
Before heading to New Delhi, Rubio made a deeply personal stop in Kolkata, visiting the Missionaries of Charity — the organization founded by Mother Teresa.
"I was honored to visit the Missionaries of Charity today to pay homage to her legacy and to see the living example of the Catholic faith in action," Rubio wrote on X, calling Mother Teresa a figure of "tremendous legacy of compassion and service."
Quad Summit and Jaishankar Talks Ahead
Rubio's itinerary extends well beyond New Delhi. He is scheduled to meet Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday before participating in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue — known as the Quad — the following week. The Quad, a strategic partnership among the US, Australia, India, and Japan established in 2007, last convened at the leaders' level in the US in 2024. The visit will also include stops in Agra and Jaipur.
A US State Department statement ahead of the trip outlined energy security, trade, and defense cooperation as the central pillars of Rubio's agenda with senior Indian officials.
The visit comes months after India and the US reached a framework for an interim trade agreement in February, designed to reduce tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18% — with half of the original tariffs tied to India's purchases of Russian oil.
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