Modi, Rubio review expanding India-US strategic partnership ahead of Quad meeting
By Aroonim Bhuyan
New Delhi, May 23. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on May 23, with the two leaders reviewing the growing momentum in the India-US strategic partnership amid intensifying geopolitical developments across the Indo-Pacific and West Asia.
Rubio’s visit comes just days before the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled to be hosted by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi on May 26, underlining the increasing strategic coordination between India and the United States as both countries deepen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
During the meeting, Rubio briefed Modi on the sustained progress in bilateral engagement across a broad spectrum of areas, including defence cooperation, strategic and emerging technologies, trade and investment, energy security, connectivity, education and people-to-people ties.
The discussions reflected the continuing expansion of India-US ties, which have evolved significantly over the past two decades from a largely transactional relationship into a comprehensive global strategic partnership. Defence and technology cooperation, in particular, have emerged as central pillars of the relationship amid growing concerns over regional security and supply-chain resilience.
Rubio also shared Washington’s perspective on key regional and global developments, including the evolving situation in West Asia, where escalating tensions continue to raise concerns over regional stability, maritime security and energy supply routes.
Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s long-standing position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy, reaffirming New Delhi’s consistent support for peaceful efforts to resolve ongoing conflicts. India has repeatedly emphasised the need for negotiated solutions and de-escalation in major international crises while maintaining strategic engagement with multiple global powers.
The meeting also highlighted the increasing geopolitical convergence between India and the United States in the Indo-Pacific, where both countries, along with Japan and Australia, are working through the Quad framework to promote a free, open and rules-based regional order.
The Quad grouping, which originated from humanitarian cooperation after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, has since evolved into a key strategic platform addressing maritime security, resilient supply chains, emerging technologies and regional connectivity amid growing concerns over China’s expanding influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Modi also requested Rubio to convey his warm greetings to US President Donald Trump and expressed his eagerness for continued engagement with the American leadership as India and the US seek to further strengthen their strategic partnership across multiple domains.
