U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called India “one of our most important strategic partners in the world” during his visit to the country on May 24.
Rubio held talks with Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
“The breadth and scope of the list of issues we work together with India on highlights that India is one of the most important strategic partnerships of the United States in the world,” Rubio said in a video posted Sunday by the State Department.
Rubio arrived in India for his first official visit ahead of next week’s Quad foreign ministers meeting involving the United States, India, Japan, and Australia. Rubio is expected to hold bilateral talks with Indian officials focused on energy security, trade, and defense cooperation.
U.S. President Donald Trump made a surprise live call during a U.S. Embassy event in Delhi marking America’s 250th Independence Day.
“I love India and their Prime Minister. PM Modi is great, he is my friend. … We have never been closer to India, and India can 100 percent count on me and our country,” Trump said on his call.
Rubio’s trip comes as the Trump administration works to strengthen U.S.–India relations while addressing global energy concerns tied to the Iran war and Russian oil exports. Rubio also met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visited the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata before traveling to New Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur during his four-day visit.
Jaishankar posted on X about Rubio’s visit and described it as involving “good discussions.”
“Reviewed the entire spectrum of our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, including trade & energy, defence & security, critical minerals & AI, nuclear & people-to-people, counter-terror & counter-narcotics cooperation,” Jaishankar said in the X post. “Regional, global and multilateral issues of mutual interest were also discussed. Have a detailed readout at the press conference thereafter. Look forward to joining Secretary Rubio and our colleagues from Australia and Japan for the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ meeting on Tuesday.”
On Saturday, Rubio posted on X a photo of himself and Modi sitting together.
“In New Delhi, I met with Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi to underscore the importance of the U.S.-India relationship. We discussed the situation in the Middle East and U.S.-India partnership in energy, securing critical supply chains, and collaboration on emerging technologies. I was pleased to invite Prime Minister Modi to the White House on behalf of the President,” Rubio said in the post.
The State Department described America’s relationship with India as one of the most important strategic partnerships of the 21st century.
The United States supports India’s rise as a global power and key partner in maintaining a “free and open Indo-Pacific” region. Both countries are expanding cooperation in defense, counterterrorism, clean energy, space exploration, technology, and supply chains.
The partnership also includes joint military production, renewable energy initiatives, and cooperation through the Quad alliance with Japan and Australia. Officials say strong economic, diplomatic and people-to-people ties between the two democracies are central to regional stability and future growth.
India also has a major interest in the Strait of Hormuz as the country is a big importer of oil.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the Strait of Hormuz is considered the world’s most important oil transit chokepoint, making stability in the region critical for countries such as India that depend heavily on imported energy.
The narrow waterway between Iran and Oman carried about 21 million barrels of oil per day in 2022, accounting for roughly 21 percent of global petroleum liquids consumption. The EIA has estimated that 82 percent of the crude oil and condensate moving through the strait heads to Asian markets, with India among the top destinations, alongside China, Japan, and South Korea. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz can sharply increase global oil prices, shipping costs, and inflation.
Rubio also said Saturday that India has committed to purchasing $500 billion in U.S. goods over the next five years focusing on energy, technology, and agriculture.
Trade between the United States and India has steadily increased in recent years, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. In 2025, the United States exported about $45.6 billion in goods to India while importing about $103.8 billion in goods from the country, resulting in a trade deficit of about $58.2 billion.
Rubio also said that the United States dedicated a new consular wing at the U.S. embassy in New Delhi that would provide more rigorous vetting, processing, and screening of visitors to the United States that he said would protect the U.S. border.
“Every visa decision is a national security decision, and I’m proud to empower the Americans who work here as they serve on the frontlines of advancing our interests and President Trump’s America First foreign policy,” Rubio said on X.
Rubio landed in India on May 23.