U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar held discussions recently covering the Middle East crisis, trade ties, maritime security, visas and energy cooperation, amid growing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking after the talks, Rubio said progress had been made over the past 48 hours toward creating a framework to ease tensions linked to the Iran conflict. He expressed optimism that positive developments could emerge soon regarding the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil shipping route.
Rubio reiterated Washington’s position that Iran must never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons and condemned attacks on commercial shipping vessels as “totally illegal.” The issue has drawn international concern as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could affect global energy supplies and oil prices.
Jaishankar stated that India and the United States shared common interests in ensuring regional stability and secure maritime passage. He added that both sides also discussed efforts to conclude a bilateral trade agreement at an early stage, along with visa-related concerns affecting Indian professionals working in the U.S.
The meeting reflected the growing strategic partnership between New Delhi and Washington, particularly in areas such as defence, technology, trade and energy cooperation. Rubio described India as one of America’s most important strategic partners and noted that both countries were aligned on counterterrorism and energy security.
India has increasingly strengthened ties with the United States in recent years, even while maintaining relations with countries such as Iran and Russia under its policy of strategic autonomy.
Rubio also met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and extended an invitation on behalf of U.S. President Donald Trump for Modi to visit the White House in the near future.
