US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets PM Modi in Delhi, extends White House invitation

NEW DELHI: In a significant move to deepen bilateral ties, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday, extending an official invitation from President Donald Trump to visit the White House. According to US Ambassador Sergio Gor, Prime Minister Modi’s diplomatic visit to Washington is expected to take place in the coming days. This marks Rubio’s inaugural visit to India since assuming office under the new Trump administration. During the high-level meeting, the leaders discussed expanding strategic cooperation across key sectors, including trade, defence, and technology.

Beyond diplomatic courtesies, the upcoming bilateral talks are expected to navigate complex geopolitical and economic issues, including shifting trade policies and global energy stability. Rubio’s four-day official tour began Saturday morning in Kolkata, making him the first US Secretary of State to visit the city in 14 years. Accompanied by his wife, Jeanette Rubio, and Ambassador Gor, he visited Mother House—the global headquarters of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity—and the Nirmala Shishu Bhavan orphanage before flying to the capital.

The Secretary of State's itinerary features several critical diplomatic engagements over the next few days. On Sunday, Rubio will hold comprehensive bilateral discussions with India's External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, at Hyderabad House. These discussions are anticipated to centre on escalating LNG and crude oil imports from the US to secure India's energy needs amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, alongside deliberations on the Trump administration's new tariff policies. Following these talks, Rubio will join his counterparts in New Delhi on Tuesday, May 26, for the Quad Foreign Ministers' Summit to address regional security and Indo-Pacific cooperation.