Marco Rubio India visit highlights: ‘New announcements ahead’ to strengthen US-India ties, says Rubio

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Marco Rubio India visit LIVE: India and the US will continue to work closely for the global good, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed him on the West Asia crisis and discussed ways to bolster bilateral ties in crucial sectors, including defence, strategic technologies, trade and energy security.

Rubio, who met Modi shortly after landing in New Delhi, invited the prime minister on behalf of President Donald Trump to visit the White House in the "near future", even as the top American diplomat described India as the "cornerstone" of Washington's approach towards the Indo-Pacific.

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday said that the bilateral partnership between the two nations is steadily deepening.

He said, "It is a personal relationship (between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump) which dates back to the first administration when the President had a chance to visit here, and it has carried over into the second administration. You can just see the connection between them. 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."

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed trade and energy with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday on a visit aimed at shoring up relations battered by Washington's tariffs.

Rubio - who said before the trip the U.S. wanted to sell India energy - pressed his case and told Modi that "US energy products have the potential to diversify India’s energy supply," according to a US summary of the meeting.

Rubio "emphasised that the United States will not let Iran hold the global energy market hostage," his office added.

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE: Audience burst into laughter as US secretary of state Marco Rubio struggled with Delhi's heat on Saturday.

He said, "I wanted to keep this speech short because it’s hot! I’m from Miami and that is like humid hot but this is something else. What time is it? Shouldn’t it be getting cooler?”

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE: India and the US will continue to work closely for the global good, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed him on the West Asia crisis and bilateral cooperation in defence, strategic technologies, trade and energy security.

Rubio, who met Modi shortly after landing in New Delhi, invited the prime minister on behalf of President Donald Trump to visit the White House in the "near future," according to US Ambassador Sergio Gor.

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE: Marco Rubio on Saturday discussed the pivotal nature of the bilateral bond, asserting that the relationship with India serves as a foundational element of Washington's strategic objectives.

Looking ahead to a more robust phase of bilateral engagement, the visiting diplomat hinted at further collaborative milestones on the horizon.

"We think in the months ahead, we're going to have even more exciting and new announcements to make about the development and the strengthening of the relationship between the two countries," he added.

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE: US secretary of state Marco Rubio said there is a "chance" that Iran could agree to a deal with the United States as early as today, adding that progress has been made in the talks.

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE: Speaking on the deep strategic alignment between New Delhi and Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday described the relationship between India and the United States as the "cornerstone" of America's approach to the Indo-Pacific region.

Speaking at the dedication ceremony of the new US Embassy Support Annex Building in New Delhi, Rubio, who is on an official visit to India, announced that the US is introducing a new "America First" visa schedule aimed at prioritising business professionals to further strengthen bilateral ties.

"It is at the cornerstone of this important partnership between us and India, which, as I said, is an incredibly important one. And it's the reason why I'm here on this visit to reaffirm those ties, to build upon them," Rubio said.

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE: Speaking at the US embassy support annex building dedication ceremony, US secretary of state Marco Rubio said, "We're introducing a new America First visa schedule that prioritises business professionals that strengthen these ties. But the facility, as I said, is not just for those who are applying for visas. It's also for you, the Americans who work here, the men and women of this mission, who are at the front lines every single day of advancing America's national interest and America's national security. So it's an honour to be here today. I wanted to keep this brief because it's hot...I want to say one thing. This facility saved Americans money because it's going to make us more efficient. It's going to allow us to do the work we have to do anyways, but allow us to do it more accurately, faster, and in a more efficient way. And so this is very important..."

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE: US secretary of state Marco Rubio inaugurated the US embassy support annex building. US ambassador to India Sergio Gor was also present at the event.

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE: Speaking at the US embassy support annex building dedication ceremony, US secretary of state Marco Rubio said, "It is at the cornerstone of this important partnership between us and India, which, as I said, is an incredibly important one. And it's the reason why I'm here on this visit to reaffirm those ties, to build upon them. We think in the months ahead, we're going to have even more exciting and new announcements to make about the development and the strengthening of the relationship between the two countries."

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio inaugurates a new US Embassy Support Annex building during his visit to India.

In his speech, he said that the relationship between the United States and India is “on solid footing” and that “there is incredible potential ahead”.

Speaking on PM Modi and US President Donald Trump's relationship, he said: “It is a personal relationship (between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump) which dates back to the first administration when the President had a chance to visit here and it has carried over into the second administration. You can just see the connection between them...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..”

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE updates: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with PM Modi in New Delhi deepening India-US ties across trade, security and critical technologies.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and US Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker were among those present in the meeting between PM Modi and Secretary Rubio. (ANI)

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE updates: PM Modi, in a post on X, said he was happy to receive US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “We discussed sustained progress in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and issues related to regional and global peace and security,” Modi said in a post on X. He added that India and the US will continue to work closely for the global good.

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE updates: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the US, American Ambassador Sergio Gor said. “Secretary Marco Rubio extended an invite on behalf of President Donald Trump, for Prime Minister Modi to visit the White House in the near future,” Gor said in a post on X.

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE updates: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at ‘Sewa Teerth’ is still underway.

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE updates: Recent tensions linked to US tariffs on India are also expected to come up during discussions between the two sides. The visit is being viewed as a high-level diplomatic effort to stabilise and strengthen bilateral engagement despite differences on certain economic issues.

Marco Rubio India visit LIVE updates: Rubio’s four-day India visit is expected to focus on the Quad partnership, energy security, defence cooperation, trade and critical technologies.

The visit coincides with the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting involving India, the US, Japan and Australia. Dicussions are expected to centre on Indo-Pacific coordination, defence cooperation, emerging technologies and supply-chain resilience amid concerns over China’s growing influence in the region.

Energy security is set to be a key issue during the visit. India continues to buy discounted Russian oil, while the US is pushing to increase LNG and crude exports to India. Instability in the Gulf regions and concerns over global energy flows factor in.

Trade and investment discussions are also expected amid ongoing tariff disputes and friction over sanctions. Officials are likely to explore interim agreements and broader cooperation in sectors linked to semiconductors, batteries and critical minerals.

Defence cooperation will feature prominently in the talks. India already operates several US-origin defence platforms, including Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft, MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones, M777 howitzers and C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.

Beyond defence purchases, both sides are expected to discuss co-production of military systems and collaboration in artificial intelligence, semiconductors and space technology.

Marco Rubio India Visit Updates: “Landed in India. Looking forward to a great visit,” Rubio said in a social media post as he began his official visit.

Rubio arrived in Kolkata earlier in the day, where he visited the Mother House, the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity, before heading to the national capital. He is set to meet PM Modi shortly.

Marco Rubio India Visit Updates: US secretary of state Marco Rubio has arrived at the Prime Minister’s Office in New Delhi for a scheduled meeting with PM Modi, NDTV reported.

Marco Rubio India Visit Updates: Rubio is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi later in the day. He will also hold bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday before participating in the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in the national capital on Tuesday.

Marco Rubio India Visit Updates: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, with energy security high on the agenda as the South Asian nation grapples with soaring oil prices and supply disruptions stemming from the war in Iran.

Ahead of the visit, Rubio said Washington was prepared to supply more energy to the world’s most-populous nation as India looks to diversify imports after the Middle East conflict disrupted global flows.

India has been hit hard because of its heavy reliance on energy supplies shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway effectively blocked soon after Iran was attacked late February. As surging oil prices batter the rupee and trigger record foreign outflows from local equities, the government this month rushed to introduce measures to contain the fallout, including raising fuel prices.

India has also ramped up purchases of Russian oil during the conflict, after briefly pulling back last year under pressure from Washington.