US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets PM Modi, extends White House invitation and pushes energy ties

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in India on May 23 for a four‑day visit, beginning with a stop in Kolkata where he toured the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity. He then flew to New Delhi and held a one‑hour meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Seva Teerth. The leaders said the India‑U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership had “sustained progress” and reaffirmed cooperation on defence, trade, critical technologies and regional security.

Rubio conveyed President Donald Trump’s invitation for Modi to visit the White House. He also highlighted Washington’s desire to expand energy cooperation, offering to sell as much U.S. energy as India needs amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and the broader West‑Asia crisis. The visit coincides with the Quad foreign‑ministers meeting in New Delhi, where the United States, India, Japan and Australia will discuss Indo‑Pacific coordination. U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor described the talks as productive and called India a vital partner.

Rubio’s itinerary includes scheduled visits to Agra and Jaipur before the Quad summit, underscoring the diplomatic and strategic emphasis of the trip.