NEW DELHI, May 24 (ANI) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday emphasized the growing depth of the U.S.-India relationship during a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, describing India as one of Washington’s most important strategic partners globally.
Addressing the joint press conference, Rubio said the relationship between the two democracies extends beyond conventional diplomatic engagement and reflects deep strategic alignment on global challenges.
“A strategic partnership is something very different,” Rubio said. “A strategic partnership is when your interests as two nations are aligned, and you work together strategically to solve those problems.”
Highlighting the broad scope of bilateral cooperation, Rubio added, “The list of issues that we work together with India on, the breadth and scope of them, highlights the fact that India is an important strategic partner of the United States, one of our most important strategic partners in the world.”
Rubio also underlined the shared democratic values between the two countries, stating, “Democracies respond directly to their people, and you have to respond constantly.”
On security cooperation, the U.S. Secretary of State stressed the strong counterterrorism partnership between Washington and New Delhi.
“On the issue of terrorism, both of our countries have suffered, both directly and indirectly, because of global terrorist networks. There is a strong counterterrorism alignment as a result of that,” Rubio said.
He also pointed to growing collaboration in technology and innovation, saying the two nations are aligned on balancing the opportunities and risks emerging from new technologies in the 21st century.
“There is a tremendous strategic alliance between our countries and agreement on that point,” he remarked.
Rubio further highlighted cooperation on ensuring secure international trade routes and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
“Likewise, on the unimpeded flow of commerce, especially in international airspace and international waters, this is true in the Indo-Pacific, ensuring that there’s a free and open Indo-Pacific, but it extends beyond the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a post on X, U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor also highlighted the positive momentum in bilateral ties.
“Always a pleasure connecting with our friend Dr. S. Jaishankar! Secretary Rubio and I had a productive meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar to advance the U.S.-India partnership across defense, energy, trade, and emerging technologies,” Gor said.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held delegation-level talks with Rubio at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, marking a key engagement in the ongoing high-level U.S.-India diplomatic dialogue.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from both sides. Jaishankar was accompanied by Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and other senior officials, while Rubio was joined by U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and members of the visiting American delegation.
During the meeting, Rubio described the first day of his visit as “fantastic” and emphasized that India and the United States are not just allies but “strategic allies.” He said this strategic partnership is what distinguishes the U.S.-India relationship.
“It has already been a fantastic first day. We’re looking forward to our visits and our talks today and learning more about the country,” Rubio said.
“As you’ve highlighted, the United States and India aren’t just allies; we’re strategic allies, and that is of critical importance. We obviously work with countries all over the world and across the region on a variety of issues as they emerge, but our strategic partnership is what sets this relationship apart because it is not simply limited to one region. It extends to opportunities to cooperate globally in different regions of the world, including potentially in the Western Hemisphere,” he added.
Rubio further said there is “a lot to work on,” describing India and the United States as the world’s two largest democracies.
“We have so many common interests that it makes all the sense in the world for us to continue to build upon. This is not about restoring or reinvigorating. I’ve seen people use that terminology. This is about continuing to build on what is already a very solid and strong strategic partnership — one of the most important ones that we have and one of the most important ones in the world,” Rubio said.
On Saturday, Rubio also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortly after arriving in New Delhi. (ANI)
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