US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described India as an “important strategic” partner for the United States during delegation-level talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at Hyderabad House.
Both leaders discussed a wide range of bilateral and global issues in the meeting, which marked an important moment in ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
“No Loss of Momentum” in Ties Despite Trade Tensions
Rubio addressed recent tensions linked to tariff disputes and said the relationship between the two countries remains strong. “I don’t view our relation with any country in the world as coming at the expense of our strategic alliance with India,” he said.
He added that India and the United States have “not lost any momentum” in their partnership. Rubio also stressed that both countries share democratic values and similar political systems, which naturally bring their interests closer.
India and US Share Global Responsibility
Rubio highlighted India’s growing global role and influence. “There are very few countries in the world who actually have the ability to do something about the big issues on a global scale,” he said.
He added that India is among a small group of nations that have both economic strength and diplomatic influence to shape global outcomes.
Shared Democratic Values Highlighted
Rubio said cooperation between the two countries is rooted in shared values. “We are the two largest democracies in the world,” he said. He explained that leaders in both nations are directly accountable to their citizens, which strengthens alignment on key issues.
Defence, Trade and Strategic Agreements Discussed
During the meeting, Jaishankar highlighted progress in defence cooperation, including the renewal of a 10-year Major Defence Partnership Framework Agreement. He also noted the signing of a roadmap on underwater domain awareness.
“We discussed the importance of taking into account the Make in India approach and the lessons drawn from recent conflicts while going forward, in the defence domain. On the economic front, we spoke about the value of concluding at an early date, the final text of the interim agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade,” Jaishankar said.
He added that this would help move toward a broader bilateral trade agreement, as discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in February 2025. He also said an American delegation is expected to visit India soon for further discussions.
Talks Cover Global Conflicts and Regional Issues
Jaishankar said both sides also discussed major global and regional developments.
He mentioned conversations on West Asia, the Indian subcontinent, East Asia, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“We discussed the importance of taking into account the Make in India approach and the lessons drawn from recent conflicts while going forward, in the defence domain,” he said.
He also shared insights from his recent visit to the Caribbean and said ongoing developments in the Gulf were also on the agenda.
US Emphasises Broad Strategic Partnership
Rubio said the US works with many countries across different issues, but its relationship with India is deeper and more structured.
“A strategic partnership is something very different. It’s something much broader than that,” he said.
He explained that a strategic partnership means shared interests and coordinated action on major global challenges.
He concluded that India remains one of the United States’ most important global partners.