NEW DELHI: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi deepening India-US strategic ties across defence, trade, technology and the Indo-Pacific.Sharing the details of the meeting, Sergio Gor, US ambassador to India wrote on X, “Great to join Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi . We had a productive discussion on ways to deepen US-India cooperation across security, trade, and critical technologies – areas that strengthen both our nations and advance a free and open Indo-Pacific. India is a vital partner to the United States!”Rubio, who is on a four-day visit to India, is also scheduled to meet external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Sunday and attend the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting on Tuesday.The US Secretary of State’s meeting with PM Modi came hours after he arrived in Kolkata earlier in the day, marking the first visit by a US Secretary of State to the city in more than a decade. Rubio was accompanied by his wife Jeanette D. Rubio during the visit.Rubio and Jeanette D Rubio, along with US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, visited The Mother Teresa House Of The Missionaries of Charity shortly after landing in Kolkata, adding a humanitarian and symbolic dimension to the diplomatic trip.Reflecting on the visit, Gor said moments like these highlight how the partnership between India and the United States is rooted not only in strategic cooperation, but also in “shared values and the spirit of selfless service that transcends borders.”Before departing for India on Thursday, Rubio described India as a “great partner” and said Washington wanted to expand energy ties with New Delhi.Interacting with reporters in Miami before leaving for Sweden and India, Rubio said the United States was prepared to increase energy exports to India.“Well, we want to sell them as much energy as they’ll buy. And obviously, you’ve seen I think we’re at historic levels of US production, and US export,” Rubio told reporters.Rubio said the India trip would be important for strengthening bilateral cooperation and would also include meetings with ministers from Quad nations.“They are a great ally, a great partner. We do a lot of good work with them. And so it is an important trip. I’m glad we’re able to do it because I think there’ll be a lot for us to talk about,” Rubio said.“We’ll also meet with Quad there, which is important. I think my first meeting as Secretary of State was with the Quad. I’m glad we are able to do it now in India and we’re going to do one later in the year as well,” he added.Rubio’s India visit comes at a time when New Delhi and Washington are expanding cooperation in key areas including defence, trade, emerging technologies and regional security in the Indo-Pacific.
