Rubio Arrives In India Ahead Of Quad Talks As U.S. Tries To Reset Strained Ties
NEW DELHI (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in India on Saturday ahead of a meeting next week with counterparts from Indo-Pacific nations India, Australia and Japan. strategic alliance known as the Quad.
Rubio’s first official visit to India comes at a time when Washington is trying to stabilize relations with New Delhi after relations soured under President Donald Trump’s tariff policiesHe increased taxes on many of India’s exports.
But the bulk of Rubio’s four-day visit will focus on a multi-city tour as well as a gala reception in New Delhi celebrating the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
Ahead of his visit to India, Rubio said: “There is a lot to work on with India. They are a great ally and partner. We do very good work with them, so this is an important trip.”
Rubio arrived in the eastern city of Calcutta early Saturday and was scheduled to visit the Mother House, the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa. In the coming days, he will also visit the northern cities of Agra and Jaipur, known for iconic monuments and palaces.
JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON via Getty Images
Later Saturday, Rubio called Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and “shared the US perspective on various regional and global issues, including the situation in West Asia,” Modi’s office said in a statement. Modi reiterated India’s support for peace efforts and emphasized that conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
The statement said Rubio briefed Modi on the progress of bilateral cooperation in the fields of defence, strategic technologies, trade and investment, energy, connectivity, education and people-to-people relations.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said in a social media post that Rubio invited Modi on behalf of Trump to visit the White House in the near future. He said the meeting was productive and focused on ways to deepen US-India cooperation in security, trade and critical technologies.
Rubio is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Sunday.
In New Delhi on Tuesday, Rubio will attend a ministerial meeting of the Quartet, which has repeatedly accused China of building up its military forces in the South China Sea and aggressively pushing its territorial claims in the sea.
Beijing maintains that its military is purely defensive, to protect what it says are its sovereign rights and Quadruple attempt to contain economic growth and impact.
After taking office in January last year, Rubio’s first official international participation He was meeting with the foreign ministers of the other Quad countries in both joint and separate sessions.
