US secretary of state Marco Rubio’s visit to India should be seen as another step by the two countries to put their relationship back on an even keel after a particularly rough patch in the ties over the Trump administration’s whimsical approach towards trade and tariff matters in the past year. As external affairs minister S Jaishankar put it after his talks with Rubio on Sunday, the two sides are seeking to arrive at a balance between their respective foreign policy visions of America First and India First and broaden the scope of convergences while narrowing their differences. In that sense, there will be areas where the national interests of both sides are similar, and there will be others where the focus will have to be on managing divergences.
Clearly, the bilateral relationship remains a work in progress, though faster movement on a long-delayed interim trade deal could help smooth over the rough edges and also address US President Donald Trump’s focus on all matters related to trade. There continue to be differences over recent changes to the US visa regime that have hurt the prospect of Indian students and professionals, who are anyway making their way in greater numbers to European shores. The Indian side also forcefully took up the issue of energy supply disruptions that were caused by the US and Israel’s war against Iran, especially as New Delhi appears to be preparing for a looming oil and gas crisis. Trump’s recent visit to Beijing and his talk of a “G2” comprising the US and China would not have been music to the ears of Indian policymakers, who are already wary about the US President’s growing proximity to Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.
There will be more indications of how far the US is willing to go to address India’s sensitivities and concerns when Rubio participates in the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting on Tuesday, especially given New Delhi’s anticipation of a signal regarding the convening of the Quad Leaders’ Summit, which now hinges on Trump’s decision on travelling to India. If the West Asia conflict drags on further, it will exacerbate India’s energy crisis and divert the US’s attention from steps that should be taken to reinvigorate and rebuild the relationship with India. It is, therefore, in India’s interest to drive home the message that the time has come to wind down this conflict which has significant ramifications for the Indian economy and diaspora.
{{/usCountry}}There will be more indications of how far the US is willing to go to address India’s sensitivities and concerns when Rubio participates in the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting on Tuesday, especially given New Delhi’s anticipation of a signal regarding the convening of the Quad Leaders’ Summit, which now hinges on Trump’s decision on travelling to India. If the West Asia conflict drags on further, it will exacerbate India’s energy crisis and divert the US’s attention from steps that should be taken to reinvigorate and rebuild the relationship with India. It is, therefore, in India’s interest to drive home the message that the time has come to wind down this conflict which has significant ramifications for the Indian economy and diaspora.
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