New Delhi, May 23 — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described ties between India and the United States as the “cornerstone” of America’s Indo-Pacific strategy while dedicating the new US Embassy Support Annex Building in New Delhi during an official visit to India.
At the ceremony Rubio announced a new ‘America First’ visa schedule designed to prioritise business professionals as part of efforts to deepen economic and strategic cooperation. He said the new visa priorities, hosted at the annex, will help strengthen bilateral commercial links and speed consular services.
Rubio underlined the close personal chemistry between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former President Donald Trump, noting that their relationship has endured across administrations and contributes to long-term collaboration between the two nations. He also recalled that his first official engagement as Secretary of State was a meeting of the Quad, which he chose to hold in India to signal New Delhi’s key role in US policy for the region.
Discussing economic and security ties, Rubio cited growing commercial investment from India into the United States and expanded military cooperation through exercises across the Indo-Pacific. He said the annex building will improve mission efficiency, enhancing speed and accuracy while saving American taxpayers money.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor echoed Rubio’s remarks after a high-level meeting with Prime Minister Modi, calling Indian investments in the US “a massive vote of confidence” in the American economy. Gor highlighted commitments of about USD 20.5 billion from Indian firms and framed those investments as evidence of trust in American workers and markets.
Gor described the new annex — which combines consular services with other embassy functions — as a gateway for innovators and entrepreneurs from both countries as they work toward a bilateral trade goal of USD 500 billion. He said the meeting with Prime Minister Modi confirmed that the relationship is on solid footing and that significant potential remains for future growth.
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