US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is likely to visit India again in October, even as preparations are underway for a possible Quad leaders’ summit in the United States in December.
The Quad leaders’ summit,
comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia, is likely to be held on the sidelines of the G20 summit, which is scheduled to take place at the Trump National Doral Miami in Florida on December 14-15 under the US presidency, the Indian Express reported.
The development comes as senior officials from the four countries stepped up consultations on Quad cooperation.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri hosted a meeting of Quad Sherpas in New Delhiearlier this week. It was attended by Sergio Gor, Special Envoy to South and Central Asia and Ambassador of US to India; Elly Lawson, Deputy Secretary, Strategic Planning and Coordination Group, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia; and, Hiroyuki Namazu, Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan.
According to a joint statement by the Ministry of External Affairs and the US State Department, the meeting was held to take forward the outcomes of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi in May and prepare for the next foreign ministers’ meeting.
The officials discussed key areas of cooperation, including maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technologies, and humanitarian assistance and emergency response.
They also exchanged views on developments in the Indo-Pacific and the wider regional and global situation.
US Ambassador to India and Quad Sherpa Sergio Gor said the grouping was moving forward with “clear purpose” and said the focus was on an action plan and concrete deliverables.
As per the report, India had been expected to host the Quad leaders’ summit last year. However, ties between New Delhi and Washington had faced strains over issues including US President Donald Trump’s claims of mediation between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor and Washington’s tariff measures against India.
With both sides now working to improve bilateral ties and negotiations on a trade deal continuing, Rubio’s expected October visit could also help prepare the ground for the proposed Quad summit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the G20 summit in the US in December.
