Rubio discusses war with Indian leaders and cites progress with Iran
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The two sides discussed the conflict in the Middle East, trade, visas, maritime security and energy supplies, and the American cited progress with Iran.
Rubio said progress has been made over the past 48 hours on a plan that could help resolve the situation around the Strait of Hormuz.
He reiterated that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and said attacks on commercial ships are "completely illegal."
The discussions take place amid conflict in the Middle East and concerns over shipping routes and energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of global oil shipments pass.
Jaishankar said India and the United States have common interests and share challenges, and that India supports safe maritime passage.
He said the two sides also discussed efforts to conclude a bilateral trade agreement at an early date and visa-related challenges faced by Indian workers.
Successive US administrations, including during President Donald Trump's first term, have sought to bring India closer together as a counterweight to China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific, although ties have been strained following tariffs imposed on Indian goods last year.
More recently, New Delhi has closely watched U.S. efforts to stabilize relations with China and improve engagement with Pakistan, amid concerns in India about Washington's regional priorities.
Rubio described India as an important strategic partner and said the two countries are aligned on terrorism and energy. He also said that India is among the countries with global influence.
Highlighting the breadth of ties between New Delhi and Washington, Rubio said the range of issues discussed underscored that India is "an important strategic partner of the United States, one of our most important strategic partners in the world."
Jaishankar said the United States has emerged as a reliable source of energy for India.
India and the United States have expanded cooperation in recent years in terms of defense, technology and trade, even as New Delhi maintains ties with countries such as Iran and Russia as part of its long-standing policy of strategic autonomy.
Rubio discussed trade and energy with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also extended an invitation on behalf of US President Donald Trump to Modi to visit the White House in the near future.
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Source: CNN