Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, right, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a bilateral meeting, at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi, Sunday, May 24, 2026 | Photo Credit: PTI/KAMAL KISHORE

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio signalled broader strategic cooperation with New Delhi by proposing that the US and India had opportunities to work together potentially in the western hemisphere as well.

“US and India are not just allies. They are strategic allies. Our strategic partnership sets this relationship apart. Because it is not limited to a region. It extends to opportunities to cooperate globally, in different regions of the world on a variety of issues. And that includes potentially in the western hemisphere,” Rubio said in his opening remarks preceding the bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday.

Rubio is on a four-day official visit to India amid the ongoing West Asia crisis that is triggering a global energy crisis affecting many economies, including India. 

India historically has maintained a policy of strategic autonomy and multi-alignment in the western hemisphere securing close ties with all important players and forwarding its own economic goals and the interests of the Global South.

Rubio further said his India visit was not about “restoring or reinvigorating” ties with India but to build on what is already a “very solid and strategically strong” partnership.

Some political commentators had observed that Rubio’s visit would be focussed on mending strained relations with India after a stormy last year when US President Donald Trump imposed high tariffs on imports and strongly criticised New Delhi for buying oil from Russia and “fuelling” Moscow’s war with Ukraine.

Energy security, including selling more fuel to India, advancing trade ties by securing the proposed bilateral trade agreement and partnership in critical minerals and advanced technology are some of the items on the discussion agenda.

In his opening remarks, Jaishankar observed that India and the US had converging interests on many issues and in many parts of the world. “India and the United States share a comprehensive global strategic partnership. We have very deep and broad-based cooperation, a relationship that actively impacts and influences other regions of the world. That is because we have converging interests on many issues and in many parts of the world,” he said.

Rubio will also attend the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting on May 26 in New Delhi hosted by Jaishankar. Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan have also confirmed their participation.

Published on May 24, 2026