US Secretary of State Visits India Ahead of Quad Meeting
NEW DELHI – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio touched down in India on Saturday. His visit comes just before a significant meeting next week with his counterparts from India, Australia, and Japan, as part of the Indo-Pacific alliance known as the Quad.
This trip aims to strengthen ties between the U.S. and India, especially after relations were strained due to former President Donald Trump’s tariff policies that affected several Indian exports.
Rubio will spend four days in India, which will include a multi-city tour and a grand event in New Delhi celebrating the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
“There’s much we can achieve together with India, which is a valuable ally. This trip is very important,” Rubio mentioned before departure.
He began his visit in Kolkata, where he plans to stop by the Mother House, the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity, established by Mother Teresa. In the following days, his itinerary will take him to Agra and Jaipur, cities famous for their stunning monuments and palaces.
Furthermore, he is set to meet with India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well.
On Tuesday in New Delhi, Rubio will take part in the Quad ministerial meeting. The group has often raised concerns about China’s military activities in the South China Sea and its claims to maritime territories.
China insists its military efforts are purely defensive, aimed at protecting its sovereign rights, and views the Quad as a move to limit its economic growth and influence.
Rubio’s recent engagements began with a meeting with the foreign ministers of the other Quad countries shortly after his inauguration last January.
