Marco Rubio In India | "US, India Not Just Allies, We're Strategic Allies": Rubio To S Jaishankar

Added: 2026-05-24

[00:00:00]Let's uh start and get you the major details as far as Marco Rubio's visit here in India is concerned. The Secretary of State of the United States Marco Rubio, external affairs minister SJ Shanker are holding key strategic talks and that's taking place here in New Delhi underlining the growing depth of the ties between India and the United States and the shared global interests at the Hyderabad House. Marco Rubio described India and the United States as strategic allies. Not just allies but strategic allies. That is what the secretary of state of the United States has gone ahead and described that partnership extending far beyond the Indo-Pacific with opportunities for cooperation across multiple regions globally. Rubio has emphasized that India and the Iraq states are the two largest democracies in the world and said both nations share strong common interests in defense, in trade, technology, energy, security as well as global strategic cooperation as well. He stressed that the partnership is already solid. It's already strong and the focus now is on continuing to build on the existing momentum between the two countries.

[00:01:05]>> Have a comprehensive global strategic partnership which uh I think in plain language means that we have a very deep very broad-based uh cooperation and a relationship that uh impacts and influences other regions in the world. uh and that is because we have uh converging on many issues and in many parts of the world >> here for nature probably doesn't do a country of this size and diversity justice in terms of all the things we need to learn and see but uh it's certainly a good start and uh and so thank you for welcoming us the way you do and as you've highlighted the United States and India aren't just allies were strategic allies and that's a critical importance we obviously work with countries all over the world and all over the region on a variety of issues as they emerge But our strategic partnership is what sets this relationship apart because it's not simply limited to the region.

[00:02:01]It extends to um oper opportunities to cooperate globally in different regions of the world and that includes potentially as I said even as we discussed a bit last night at dinner in the western hemisphere and places like that. So um thank you for welcoming us.

[00:02:17]We have a lot to discuss and a lot to work on, but this is an it is uh we are the two largest democracies in the world and and so that alone is a baseline for incredible cooperation. But we have so many common interests that that uh it it uh makes all the sense in the world for us to continue to build really to build upon. This is not about restoring or reinvigorating. I've seen some people use that terminology. doesn't I don't this is about continuing to build on what is already a very solid and strong strategic partnership one of the most important ones that we have and I would argue one of the most important ones in the world right now is reporting from the press briefing room where of course Mario the US secretary of state will be arriving along with external affairs minister J Shankar in a few minutes from now right behind me you can see this is the place where they will be in fact holding a press statement this will be a joint statement immediately after their meeting. Remember they're meeting right now at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

[00:03:19]Among the issues that are being discussed are energy security, trade, defense cooperation, critical minerals as well as critical technologies. Will there be a timeline set for the trade deal? Because already Marco Rubio has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of US President Donald Trump. Of course, we'll wait for that timeline to emerge. Later this year, Prime Minister Modi could visit the United States. But this is a report coming you from the Hyderabad House in New Delhi where right behind me is the place where Marco Rubio and J Shankar will be arriving any minute now. And they will be in fact issuing a joint statement elaborating on the relationship and what exactly is likely to happen between the US India relationship a reset of stocks but also a strategic collaboration that will see the relationship go from strength to strength. uh they will also re-emphasize perhaps on the IMAC connectivity project and how the relationship could be expanded in different areas including the visas the people-to-people contact between these countries. Marukio yesterday said that they value the relationship with India. Sergio also said that they have great trust in India. Uh there's been a lot of color song and dance around the Marurupio visit the 4-day visit. But uh the critical component of the visit is here J Shankar meeting Marupio after the meeting with the prime minister yesterday and they will be coming out with a statement shortly. Reporting from Hyderabad in Delhi. This is Ali Raj Paul for NDTV >> and of course this is US Secretary of State Marco Rubio who's holding bilateral talks with SJ Shanker. What are the discussions all about? What are the discussions that are taking place between the two leaders? Let's go across to Gori who's joining us from the Hajjabad House. Uh Gori, take us through the significance of the timing of all of this and all that is being discussed between the two leaders.

[00:05:11]Diva, it's an extremely important uh meeting the bilateral discussions that will take place. Adita of course is uh inside that briefing room which will start any moment now. uh the focus essentially is on about half a dozen very important areas. You talk about uh uh the West Asia conflict, there have been very significant developments that have taken place today. Uh and that has a direct bearing on India and India's energy security. Remember the second equally important aspect of the India US bilateral discussions will focus also around security. security both from uh uh you know the terrorism aspect to it, counterterrorism aspect to it and the second equally important in terms of uh having robust supply chains whether it is uh in the Indo-Pacific, whether it is in West Asia, all of that is going to be extremely important. The third important piece in the bilateral relationship uh is the one around trade. There's been progress. There's been incremental progress. There are some st tough positions on both sides. Uh on the India side, we're very clear about agriculture, about dairy. Uh also the trade progress comes at a time when the Trump administration has faced back-to-back legal setbacks. How is that likely to reshape or have a bearing on the discussions is going to be extremely interesting. The fact that Marco Rubio invited Prime Minister Modi yesterday to visit the White House to meet President Trump, of course, is essentially indicative of the potential culmination of those trade talks. and as and when they do the signing of course could take place in the US that's the that's the assumption with which uh most experts are going with the other key aspect of this relationship and I must point that out is civil nuclear technology could that breakthrough actually happen this time around remains to be seen India has already made changes with regards to its uh civil liability law and the entire legal framework has been changed around that to uh address some of the American concerns so that's the other big piece of the relationship that is likely to in fact feature in these discussions.