US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday said the strategic relationship between Washington and New Delhi is steadily deepening, praising the personal chemistry between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump as a key driver of that momentum. Speaking at the dedication ceremony for the US Embassy Support Annex Building in New Delhi, Rubio said the leaders’ relationship “dates back to the first administration” and continued into the second, adding, “The connection between leaders is incredibly important. These are two very serious leaders who are focused not just on the short term but on the long term.”
Rubio’s remarks followed a more than hour-long meeting with PM Modi in Delhi earlier the same day. During the talks, the US top diplomat extended an official invitation from President Trump for Modi to visit the White House. Modi later posted on social media that the leaders discussed key regional and global security issues.
Rubio began his four-day official visit to India in Kolkata and is on his first trip since assuming office last year. Before flying to Delhi, he visited the Mother House, the global headquarters of Saint Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. His itinerary includes formal talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and participation in a Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in Delhi, as well as visits to Agra and Jaipur.
Ahead of the trip, Rubio described the visit as important, noting the broad scope for cooperation with India. Officials say discussions during the visit are expected to cover the escalating US‑Iran conflict and its economic and energy implications, as well as recent trade tensions stemming from US tariffs on India. The meetings are being viewed as a high-level effort to steady and advance the bilateral strategic partnership, with both presidents portrayed as personally committed to sustaining momentum in ties. (ANI)
