Mumbai: In a significant diplomatic engagement aimed at strengthening the India-US strategic partnership, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Mumbai on Tuesday. The high-level discussions primarily focused on bilateral defence cooperation, energy security, and the much-anticipated trade agreement between the two nations.
During his two-day visit to India, Rubio expressed strong optimism regarding the finalisation of the pending trade deal. “While the State Department does not negotiate trade agreements, we are fully involved,” Rubio stated. “My counterpart, the National Security Advisor, and I are very attentive to this matter. We are extremely close. I believe there are only a few things left to finalise, so I think it will happen soon.”
He further added that both nations are hopeful of announcing positive news shortly, followed by the official signing of the agreement.
The leaders also held detailed talks on global energy security. Rubio highlighted India’s potential to play a crucial role in meeting the world’s energy demands, describing the country as a “superpower in terms of refining” with substantial capacity to process heavy crude oil.
“India already has oil concessions in Venezuela, allowing them to produce more themselves. These are all positive developments,” Rubio remarked. He acknowledged that while Venezuela alone cannot compensate for global energy shortages caused by current geopolitical events, increased supply could provide vital short-term relief.
Reflecting on the importance of bilateral relations, the US Secretary of State noted Jaishankar’s frequent visits to the United States this year. “India is the world’s most populous country, the largest democracy, and a vital commercial and business partner for the US. They are a key member of the Quad and a strong strategic partner. I feel we haven’t visited enough, and we should do so more often,” he said.
Addressing questions regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Rubio dismissed reports suggesting that the US administration was deliberately withholding military aid. He clarified that the United States is not preventing the transfer of Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine from countries that already possess American-made weaponry.