Top US diplomat says ties between the world’s two largest democracies continue to expand across trade, energy and technology….reports Asian Lite News
Marco Rubio on Sunday described the partnership between India and the United States as one of the most important relationships in the world, saying ties between the two democracies were already “solid and strong” and should continue to deepen across multiple sectors.
Speaking during his meeting with S. Jaishankar at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, Rubio stressed that his visit was not aimed at “restoring” or “reinvigorating” bilateral relations, but rather at building further on an already established strategic partnership.
In his opening remarks, Rubio said India and the United States, as the world’s two largest democracies, shared a natural foundation for extensive cooperation and common global interests.
He said the relationship between Washington and New Delhi extended far beyond regional concerns and included opportunities for cooperation across different parts of the world.
Rubio also described the India US relationship as a strategic partnership of “critical importance”, saying the two countries worked closely on a range of international issues while continuing to strengthen cooperation in areas including trade, energy and technology.
The US Secretary of State said the partnership was unique because it was not confined to one geographic region and had the potential to influence developments globally, including in regions outside Asia.
Calling the relationship “one of the most important ones that we have, and one of the most important ones in the world”, Rubio said there was no need to speak about rebuilding ties because the relationship was already on a strong footing.
“It has already been a fantastic first day,” Rubio said while welcoming the opportunity to hold discussions in India and learn more about the country.
S. Jaishankar also emphasised the depth of the relationship, describing the India US partnership as a “comprehensive global strategic partnership” built on broad based cooperation and converging interests across several regions of the world.
Jaishankar said the relationship between the two countries not only affected bilateral cooperation but also had wider implications for global affairs and regional stability.
The External Affairs Minister said he was looking forward to “open and productive discussions” with Rubio, particularly at a time when international developments remained complex and challenging.
“These are complicated times, but as strong partners, I’m very confident we’ll have very open and productive discussions,” Jaishankar said during the meeting.
Following the opening remarks, both sides held delegation level talks at Hyderabad House, with discussions focusing on strengthening cooperation in trade, energy, technology and other strategic sectors.
Rubio’s visit comes at a time when India and the United States continue expanding cooperation across defence, economic, technological and geopolitical areas, while also coordinating closely through groupings such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.
Relations between New Delhi and Washington have deepened significantly in recent years amid growing strategic convergence in the Indo Pacific region and increasing collaboration on supply chains, emerging technologies, energy security and defence partnerships.
The meeting also reflects continued efforts by both governments to reinforce diplomatic and economic engagement as geopolitical tensions and global economic uncertainties continue affecting multiple regions worldwide.
