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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emerged from talks on Sunday, May 24, more closely aligned on energy security, trade and Indo-Pacific strategy, while Rubio signalled progress on West Asia war and hinted at developments on the Strait of Hormuz in the coming hours.
“The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway they can't own...In the next few hours, (the) world would get some good news with regards to straits," Rubio said during a press conference in New Delhi.
He is on a four-day visit to India from May 23 to May 26, which includes a foreign ministers' meeting of the Quad.
The US leader said “progress has been made” in discussions involving Iran and reiterated that Tehran “can never possess a nuclear weapon." He said he would leave it to President Trump to make any formal announcement on Iran-related developments. Trump on Saturday said a deal was "largely negotiated," thought it had not been finalised with Iran yet.
Rubio also said US ties with India remained strategically steady, adding that tactical engagements with other countries, such as Pakistan, did not come at the expense of the US-India partnership.
Rubio’s visit was widely expected to signal a reset in India-US trade ties, which soured last year over steep US tariffs imposed on India, mainly over India's purchase of Russian oil and defence products. The Modi government, at the time, justified stating that all decisions were made in the national interest.
“India-US relationship never lost momentum," he said.
"The President never said let's create friction with India on trade...The President says we have a trade imbalance, and let's address it. We did it from a global perspective,” Rubio added.
Jaishankar reiterated during the press interaction that the Indian government is driven by its obligation to ensure affordable energy to its people.
“For our energy security, we have multiple, cheap sources. United states fits the bill, so do other countries. We dont want energy markets distorted and we discussed that," the minister said.
On the Indo-Pacific, Jaishankar said the Quad mechanism had strengthened since its early formation and pointed to rising maritime activity and trade in the region.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will be in India for the Quad meeting on May 26.
“The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway they can't own...In the next few hours, (the) world would get some good news with regards to straits," Rubio said during a press conference in New Delhi.
He is on a four-day visit to India from May 23 to May 26, which includes a foreign ministers' meeting of the Quad.
The US leader said “progress has been made” in discussions involving Iran and reiterated that Tehran “can never possess a nuclear weapon." He said he would leave it to President Trump to make any formal announcement on Iran-related developments. Trump on Saturday said a deal was "largely negotiated," thought it had not been finalised with Iran yet.
Rubio also said US ties with India remained strategically steady, adding that tactical engagements with other countries, such as Pakistan, did not come at the expense of the US-India partnership.
Rubio’s visit was widely expected to signal a reset in India-US trade ties, which soured last year over steep US tariffs imposed on India, mainly over India's purchase of Russian oil and defence products. The Modi government, at the time, justified stating that all decisions were made in the national interest.
“India-US relationship never lost momentum," he said.
"The President never said let's create friction with India on trade...The President says we have a trade imbalance, and let's address it. We did it from a global perspective,” Rubio added.
Jaishankar reiterated during the press interaction that the Indian government is driven by its obligation to ensure affordable energy to its people.
“For our energy security, we have multiple, cheap sources. United states fits the bill, so do other countries. We dont want energy markets distorted and we discussed that," the minister said.
On the Indo-Pacific, Jaishankar said the Quad mechanism had strengthened since its early formation and pointed to rising maritime activity and trade in the region.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will be in India for the Quad meeting on May 26.
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