Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, during talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, that India will continue to work with the United States for the global good even as it supports peace efforts and a peaceful resolution of the conflict in West Asia.
Rubio flew to Kolkata early on Saturday to begin a four-day visit to India, during which he will hold talks with his counterpart S Jaishankar on Sunday and participate in the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting on May 26.
This is Rubio’s first visit to India, and the two sides are looking forward to this trip leading to a reset in relations that were damaged last year due to disagreements over the Trump administration’s trade and tariff policies.
The meeting with Modi was Rubio’s first official engagement in the Indian capital, and the Prime Minister said in a social media post that he was “pleased to receive” the US Secretary of State and discuss “sustained progress on the Indo-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and issues related to regional and global peace and security.”
“India and the United States will continue to work closely for the global good,” Modi said in a social media post. A statement issued by the Indian government quoted Modi as emphasizing India’s “continued support for peace efforts” and the peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.
The reading stated that Rubio shared US views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in West Asia. The statement added that he also briefed Modi on the “continuous progress in bilateral cooperation” in the areas of defence, strategic technologies, trade and investment, energy security, connectivity, education and people-to-people relations.
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Indo-US relations were damaged last year after President Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, including a punitive 25% tax on Russian oil purchases, and repeatedly claimed to have finalized a ceasefire to end hostilities between India and Pakistan in May 2025. After several rounds of talks, Modi and Trump announced in February that the two sides were close to reaching a trade deal, including a reduction in US tariffs.
During his meeting with Modi, Rubio emphasized the “strategic importance of the US-India partnership” rooted in shared democratic values, economic and trade opportunities, and the “strong personal relationship” between Trump and Modi, State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott said.
Piggott said that during discussions on the situation in West Asia, Rubio emphasized that the United States “will not allow Iran to hold the global energy market hostage,” and noted that American energy products have “the potential to diversify India’s energy supply.”
Piggott said the two sides discussed bilateral achievements, including “significant investments that advance the President and Prime Minister’s ‘Mission 500’ to double trade by 2030.” He added that Rubio and Modi agreed to deepen trade and defense cooperation and accelerate cooperation in critical and emerging technologies.
Piggott said that Rubio extended an invitation on behalf of Trump to Modi to visit the White House. The Indian reading remained silent on the issue of Trump’s invitation and said that Modi asked Rubio to “convey his warm regards” to Trump and that he “looks forward to continuing their exchanges.”
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Piggott also quoted Rubio as saying that the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting on Tuesday will be an opportunity for the United States to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region alongside Australia, India and Japan.
Speaking at an event at the US Embassy compound to inaugurate the Support Annex Building, a facility aimed at enhancing consular services and promoting increased trade and investment, Rubio said the new building is a sign of the US commitment to the important relationship with India which is “the cornerstone of our approach to the Indo-Pacific region.”
Noting that his first engagement after being sworn in last year was a meeting of the Quad’s foreign ministers, Rubio said: “We will renew that… and we have chosen to do so here… not only because of our commitment to this framework, but also as a tangible demonstration of the important role that India plays in… our position and approach to the Indo-Pacific region.”
He also stressed the relationship between Trump and Modi as “incredibly important” and said: “These are two very serious leaders who are focused not just on the short term, but on the long term, and I think that’s important to note because it’s a fundamental part of the foundation of the relationship between our two countries.”
While citing planned investments of over $20 billion by Indian companies in the US and the deepening security partnership, Rubio said the US will introduce a new ‘America First’ visa scheduling tool that prioritizes business professionals.
“We believe that in the coming months, we will have more exciting and new announcements to make regarding developing and strengthening the relationship between the two countries,” Rubio said.
