US Secretary Marco Rubio begins India tour with Mother House visit in Kolkata, ahead of talks with PM Modi and Quad diplomacy in New Delhi, reports Asian Lite News Desk
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with his wife Jeanette D. Rubio, visited the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata on Saturday, marking a reflective start to his four-day official visit to India.
Rubio arrived in the city in the morning as part of his India tour from May 23 to 26 and was received at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor. The visit is Rubio’s first trip to India since assuming office and is being closely watched for its diplomatic significance amid expanding India–US engagement.
Shortly after his arrival, Rubio visited the Mother House, the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa in Kolkata. He spent time at the premises, met officials of the organisation and paid respects at the site associated with the global humanitarian legacy of the Nobel laureate.
According to people familiar with the visit, Rubio and his wife were accompanied by senior US officials, including Ambassador Sergio Gor. The visit was described as quiet and personal in tone, focusing on the charitable work of the organisation rather than formal diplomatic engagements.
The Missionaries of Charity continues to operate globally, serving the poor, sick and destitute across multiple countries. The Kolkata headquarters remains its spiritual and administrative centre.
In a post on X, Ambassador Gor said Rubio’s visit highlighted the importance of shared humanitarian values in the India–US partnership, noting that cooperation between the two countries extends beyond policy into service-driven ideals and people-to-people connections.
Rubio’s India itinerary includes stops in Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi, where he is expected to hold high-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Discussions are expected to focus on trade, defence, technology, energy security and Indo-Pacific cooperation.
The visit comes ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled in New Delhi on May 26, bringing together the foreign ministers of India, the United States, Australia and Japan. The meeting is expected to reinforce coordination on regional security and strategic supply chains in the Indo-Pacific.
Rubio is also expected to participate in bilateral discussions aimed at deepening energy cooperation, with Washington signalling interest in expanding exports and strengthening long-term energy ties with New Delhi amid global supply uncertainties.
Before departing Kolkata for Delhi, Rubio briefly interacted with airport staff and officials, posing for photographs, according to those present. His next stop is expected to include formal diplomatic engagements at the highest level, including a meeting with Prime Minister Modi.
