‘Not Just Allies, Strategic Allies’: US Signals India’s Status To The World

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said India and the United States share a strategic partnership that extends far beyond traditional alliances, as he held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi. Rubio, who arrived in India on Saturday for a four-day visit, met Jaishankar for delegation-level discussions during which the top US diplomat underscored the unique nature of India-US ties, saying the relationship stands apart from America’s partnerships with other countries.The meeting was attended by senior officials from both sides. Jaishankar was accompanied by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other senior officials, while Rubio was joined by US Ambassador

to India Sergio Gor and members of the visiting American delegation."The US and India aren't just allies. We are strategic allies and that's of critical importance. We obviously work with countries all over the world on a variety of issues, but our strategic partnership is what sets this relationship apart because it's not simply limited to the region, it extends to offer opportunities to cooperate globally in different regions of the world, and that includes potentially, as I said, as we discussed a bit last night at dinner, in the Western Hemisphere and places like that," Rubio said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9svR9jqzSuw

Rubio further highlighted that the world’s two largest democracies naturally share deep common interests and should continue strengthening their cooperation across sectors."We are the two largest democracies in the world. That alone is a baseline for incredible cooperation. We have so many common interests that makes all the sense in the world for us to continue to build upon. This is not about restoring or reinvigorating, I see some people use that terminology, this is about continuing to build on what is already a very solid and strong strategic partnership, one of the most important ones that we have, I would argue one of the most important ones in the world," he added.Rubio also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday, where the US Secretary of State briefed him on the “sustained progress” in bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors. Following the meeting, Modi said India and the United States would continue working closely together for global peace, stability and collective progress."Happy to receive the US Secretary of State, Mr. Marco Rubio. We discussed sustained progress in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and issues related to regional and global peace and security. India and the United States will continue to work closely for the global good," PM Modi wrote on X.According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the visiting Secretary briefed PM Modi on the steady upward trajectory of bilateral cooperation across several key areas, including defence, strategic technologies, trade, investment, energy security, connectivity, education, and people-to-people ties." Secretary Rubio shared the US perspective on various regional and global issues, including the situation in West Asia. Prime Minister reaffirmed India's consistent support for peace efforts and reiterated the call for peaceful resolution of the conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy," the PMO statement read.